Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Patients Receiving Continuation or Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy (COVID-M-ECT)

Ghent University Hospital (UZ)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder; Electroconvulsive Therapy; Covid-19

Treatments: Other: Questionnaires

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05633368

BC-07543

Details and patient eligibility

About

Electroconvulsive therapy is a safe and effective therapeutic strategy in patients with treatment resistant depression. As relapse after successful ECT is significant even with adequate pharmacological strategies, continuation (up to 6 months after completion of index-ECT) or maintenance ECT (more than 6 months after index-ECT) is often necessary to maintain remission. During the current Covid-19 pandemic hospitals redirected resources and closed or significantly diminished ECT services. In this study we aim to assess the impact of discontinuing maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in patients diagnosed with unipolar depressive disorder.

Full description

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Belgium all patients receiving continuation or maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for major depressive disorder in two ECT centers in Belgium will be included. Due to differences in Covid-19 infection rates and hospital management decisions, one ECT-service temporarily halted all electroconvulsive treatments, where as the other ECT-service continued continuation and maintenance treatments. Depressive symptomatology and relapse rates will be assessed during the diminished accessibility of electroconvulsive treatment.

Enrollment: 47 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Continuation or maintenance ECT, in treatment at two specified ECT-centers in Belgium
• Unipolar depressive disorder

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to provide informed consent
• Unable to comply with study requirements (telephone questionnaire)

Trial design

47 participants in 2 patient groups

Discontinuation of C/M-ECT

Description:

Participants with major depressive disorder who are unable to continue maintenance (M-ECT) or continuation electroconvulsive therapy (C-ECT) due to hospital restrictions during Covid-19 or due to personal preference.

Treatment:

Other: Questionnaires

Continuation of C/M-ECT

Description:

Participants with major depressive disorder who are able to continue maintenance (M-ECT) or continuation electroconvulsive therapy (C-ECT) during Covid-19.

Treatment:

Other: Questionnaires