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Onset of clinical improvement of depressive illness following electroconvulsive therapy

Edward Myer's Unit, City General Hospital, Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 6QG;

Mike Jorsh, Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Clinical Lecturer

Department of Liaison Psychiatry, City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire;

B. Wain, Registered General Nurse

North Staffordshire Combined NHS Trust, City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire;

J. Lea, State Enrolled Nurse

North Staffordshire Combined NHS Trust, City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

^* Correspondence

Aims and method To examine the onset and course of clinically observable improvement in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). A prospective design was used in which 19 consecutive patients receiving ECT were followed up from commencement to termination of ECT. The Clinical Global improvement Scale was administered at every ECT session to monitor their improvement.

Results Eleven of the 19 subjects improved minimally and another subject improved substantially after the first two ECT treatments.

Clinical implications ECT produces clinically observable improvement in depression within a few days of starting treatment, perhaps earlier than is generally acknowledged.