Continuation Electroconvulsive Therapy (C-ECT) for Relapse Prevention in Major Depression

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the comparative efficacy and security of Continuation Electroconvulsive Therapy associated with pharmacotherapy versus pharmacotherapy alone in the prevention of depressive relapse. METHODS: Demographic and clinical variables will be collected and side effects scales and neurocognitive battery will be performed. Variables of efficacy: relapse percentage in both groups in one year (primary variable); time without relapse. Main variable of security: occurrence of side effects and neurocognitive performance. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. SAMPLE: 104 outpatients diagnosed with unipolar depression (DSM-IV-R criteria) who had remitted with a course of bilateral ECT. They will be randomized to two groups of treatment. SETTING: Psychiatry Department at Bellvitge University Hospital. ANALYSIS: Descriptive analysis of clinical variables; survive analysis and Cox model of regression.