This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Martin, M. Articles by Jarvis, M. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Martin, M. Articles by Jarvis, M. R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

ECT-Induced Interictal Delirium in Patients With a History of a CVA

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.

Gary Figiel, MD

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.

Gregory Mattingly, MD

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.

Charles F. Zorumski, MD

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.

Michael R. Jarvis, MD

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.

Earlier works have documented a high incidence of affective disorders in patients with a history of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). In general, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been reported to be effective in treating depressed patients with a history of CVA. Recent works have shown that preexisting structural brain changes may predispose patients to develop interictal ECT-induced delirium. However, the incidence of ECT-induced interictal delirium in patients with a history of CVA has not been directly studied. In this pilot study, the authors examined the incidence of ECT-induced interictal delirium in 14 depressed CVA patients compared with 14 elderly depressed controls (without a history of CVA). Interestingly, the overall incidence of delirium was identical in both groups (28.5%). However, consistent with previous works, some patients who had had a recent CVA involving the caudate nucleus appeared more likely to develop delirium. Thirteen of the 14 depressed CVA patients (92%) showed a moderate to significant improvement in their depressive symptoms from ECT. None of the patients developed significant cardiac complications during ECT. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1992;5:149–155).

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, Vol. 5, No. 3, 149-155 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/002383099200500304


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. V. Tess and G. W. Smetana Medical Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy N. Engl. J. Med., April 2, 2009; 360(14): 1437 - 1444. [Full Text] [PDF]