Electroconvulsive therapy augmentation in clozapine-resistant schizophrenia: a prospective, randomized study

Publication Date

2015

Journal Title

Am J Psychiatry

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Up to 70% of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia do not respond to clozapine. Pharmacological augmentation to clozapine has been studied with unimpressive results. The authors examined the use of ECT as an augmentation to clozapine for treatment-refractory schizophrenia. METHOD: In a randomized single-blind 8-week study, patients with clozapine-resistant schizophrenia were assigned to treatment as usual (clozapine group) or a course of bilateral ECT plus clozapine (ECT plus clozapine group). Nonresponders from the clozapine group received an 8-week open trial of ECT (crossover phase). ECT was performed three times per week for the first 4 weeks and twice weekly for the last 4 weeks. Clozapine dosages remained constant. Response was defined as >/=40% reduction in symptoms based on the psychotic symptom subscale of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, a Clinical Global Impressions (CGI)-severity rating

Volume Number

172

Issue Number

1

Pages

52-8

Document Type

Article

EPub Date

2014/10/31

Status

Faculty, Northwell Researcher

Facility

School of Medicine; Northwell Health

Primary Department

Psychiatry

Additional Departments

Molecular Medicine

PMID

25157964

DOI

10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.13060787

For the public and Northwell Health campuses

Share

COinS