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Is Electroencephalographic Monitoring of Electroconvulsive Therapy Clinically Useful?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

R. G. McCreadie ,
K. Phillips ,
A. D. T. Robinson ,
G. Gilhooly  and
W. Crombie
R. G. McCreadie*
Affiliation:
Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries DG1 4TG
K. Phillips
Affiliation:
Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries DG1 4TG
A. D. T. Robinson
Affiliation:
MRC Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EH10 5HF
G. Gilhooly
Affiliation:
The West of Scotland Health Boards, Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering, based at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries DG1 2BR
W. Crombie
Affiliation:
The West of Scotland Health Boards, Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering, based at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries DG1 2BR
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

Electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring was carried out in 169 bilateral and 114 unilateral applications of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), given to 51 patients in an everyday setting within the National Health Service by junior medical staff. In 2.5% of bilateral and 8% of unilateral applications there was disagreement between clinical and EEG assessment as to whether a fit had occurred. When an EEG fit was said to have occurred only if it lasted longer than 25 seconds, then disagreement rose to 7% in bilateral and 28% in unilateral applications; disagreement was higher with unilateral applications, as they produced more short fits than bilateral applications. If future work shows duration of seizure is clearly associated with clinical efficacy, it is suggested the case for routine EEG monitoring is greatly strengthened.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 154 , Issue 2 , February 1989 , pp. 229 - 231
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

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