Clinical Outcomes of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for Depression in Older Old People Relative to Other Age Groups Across the Adult Life Span: A CARE Network Study.

INTERVENTION: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a commonly used treatment for severe psychiatric illness in older adults, including in the 'older old' population aged 80 years and above. However, there can sometimes be a reluctance to treat the 80+ year old age group with ECT due to medical comorbidities, frailty, and concerns about cognition. OBJECTIVE, DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multi-site, longitudinal Australian study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ECT in older old people compared with younger age groups. Data from 310 people receiving ECT for depression at three participating hospitals was collected in a naturalistic setting, between 2015 and 2022. MEASUREMENTS: Clinical ratings were conducted pre-ECT and end-acute ECT using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Cognitive outcomes were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). RESULTS: Older old adults demonstrated a significant reduction MADRS scores at post-treatment. They were more likely to meet remission criteria compared with the younger age groups. Older old adults were also less likely to show clinically significant cognitive decline post-ECT, and were more likely to show clinically significant cognitive improvement post-ECT compared with younger age groups. CONCLUSIONS: ECT is highly effective in treating severe psychiatric illness in older old adults. Relative to the younger age groups, the older old group were more likely to remit with ECT and a greater proportion showed cognitive improvement post-ECT. These findings suggest that ECT should be considered as a valuable and safe treatment option for older old individuals with depression.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists professional practice guidelines for the administration of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

OBJECTIVES: To provide guidance for the optimal administration of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, based on scientific evidence and supplemented by expert clinical consensus. METHODS: Articles and information were sourced from existing guidelines and published literature. The findings were then formulated into consensus-based recommendations and guidance by the authors. The guidelines were subjected to rigorous successive consultation within the RANZCP, involving the Section of ECT and Neurostimulation (SEN) Committee, its broader membership and expert committees. RESULTS: The RANZCP professional practice guidelines (PPG) for the administration of rTMS provide up-to-date advice regarding the use of rTMS in clinical practice. The guidelines are intended for use by psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists engaged in the administration of rTMS to facilitate best practice to optimise outcomes for patients. The guidelines strive to find the appropriate balance between promoting best evidence-based practice and acknowledging that evidence for rTMS use is a continually evolving. CONCLUSION: The guidelines provide up-to-date advice for psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists to promote optimal standards of rTMS practice.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Credentialing for Psychiatrists-Review of Required Standards Across States and Territories in Australia.

ABSTRACT: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a complex medical procedure, the delivery of which requires specialist knowledge and skills. We reviewed the standards required for ECT credentialing in different jurisdictions in Australia. We reviewed the Chief Psychiatrist guidelines and statewide policy standards on ECT and focused on standards required for initial credentialing and ongoing privileging in ECT. We compared the credentialing requirements within these documents with the standards specified in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists professional practice guideline for ECT. Most of the jurisdictions had specific standards for initial credentialing and maintenance of this credentialing; however, there was significant variance in the credentialing process and standards required. It would be useful to have a minimum standard for credentialing for ECT psychiatrists and prescribers. This standard would be relevant for practice of ECT internationally. States and territories would have the responsibility for implementation of these standards. Appropriate training and establishing good clinical governance processes are essential to the provision of high quality ECT.

Efficacy and safety of a 4-week course of repeated subcutaneous ketamine injections for treatment-resistant depression (KADS study): randomised double-blind active-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Prior trials suggest that intravenous racemic ketamine is a highly effective for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but phase 3 trials of racemic ketamine are needed. AIMS: To assess the acute efficacy and safety of a 4-week course of subcutaneous racemic ketamine in participants with TRD. Trial registration: ACTRN12616001096448 at www.anzctr.org.au. METHOD: This phase 3, double-blind, randomised, active-controlled multicentre trial was conducted at seven mood disorders centres in Australia and New Zealand. Participants received twice-weekly subcutaneous racemic ketamine or midazolam for 4 weeks. Initially, the trial tested fixed-dose ketamine 0.5 mg/kg versus midazolam 0.025 mg/kg (cohort 1). Dosing was revised, after a Data Safety Monitoring Board recommendation, to flexible-dose ketamine 0.5-0.9 mg/kg or midazolam 0.025-0.045 mg/kg, with response-guided dosing increments (cohort 2). The primary outcome was remission (Montgomery-Åsberg Rating Scale for Depression score ≤10) at the end of week 4. RESULTS: The final analysis (those who received at least one treatment) comprised 68 in cohort 1 (fixed-dose), 106 in cohort 2 (flexible-dose). Ketamine was more efficacious than midazolam in cohort 2 (remission rate 19.6% v. 2.0%; OR = 12.1, 95% CI 2.1-69.2, P = 0.005), but not different in cohort 1 (remission rate 6.3% v. 8.8%; OR = 1.3, 95% CI 0.2-8.2, P = 0.76). Ketamine was well tolerated. Acute adverse effects (psychotomimetic, blood pressure increases) resolved within 2 h. CONCLUSIONS: Adequately dosed subcutaneous racemic ketamine was efficacious and safe in treating TRD over a 4-week treatment period. The subcutaneous route is practical and feasible.

Prescribing electroconvulsive therapy for depression: Not as simple as it used to be.

In the last century, prescribing electroconvulsive therapy usually involved considering the relative merits of unilateral versus bilateral electroconvulsive therapy, with most other parameters fixed. However, research over the last 30 years has discovered that several parameters of the electroconvulsive therapy stimulus can have a significant impact on efficacy and cognitive side effects. The stimulus dose relative to seizure threshold was shown to significantly affect efficacy, especially for right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy, where suprathreshold doses in the vicinity of 5-6 times seizure threshold were far more efficacious than doses closer to threshold. However, this did not hold for bitemporal electroconvulsive therapy, where near-threshold stimuli were equally effective as suprathreshold stimuli. Then, changes in stimulus pulse width were found to also have a significant impact on both efficacy and side effects, with ultrabrief pulse widths of 0.3 ms having significantly fewer cognitive side effects in unilateral electroconvulsive therapy than standard brief pulse widths of 1.0 ms, with only slightly reduced efficacy. Therefore, choosing the optimum electroconvulsive therapy prescription for an individual patient now requires consideration of placement, pulse width and stimulus dose relative to seizure threshold, and how these three interact with each other. This viewpoint aims to raise awareness of these issues for psychiatrists involved in electroconvulsive therapy practice.

Impact on Electroconvulsive Therapy Services, Including Patient Relapse and Death, During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Quantitative Results From a Multinational Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is important in the management of major, life-threatening, and treatment-resistant psychiatric illness. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted ECT services. The need for new infection control measures, staff redeployment and shortages, and the perception that ECT is as an "elective" procedure have caused changes to, and reductions in, ECT delivery. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 on ECT services, staff, and patients globally. METHODS: Data were collected using an electronic, mixed-methods, cross-sectional survey. The survey was open from March to November 2021. Clinical directors in ECT services, their delegates, and anesthetists were asked to participate. Quantitative findings are reported. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve participants worldwide completed the survey. The study identified significant impacts on services, staff, and patients. Importantly, most participants (57.8%; n = 63) reported their services made at least 1 change to ECT delivery. More than three-quarters (81.0%; n = 73) reported that their service had identified at least 1 patient who could not access ECT. More than two-thirds (71.4%; n = 67) reported that their service identified patients who experienced a relapse in their psychiatric illness due to lack of ECT access. Six participants (7.6%) reported that their service had identified at least 1 patient who died, by suicide or other means, due to lack of ECT access. CONCLUSIONS: All ECT practices surveyed were impacted by COVID-19 with decreases in capacity, staffing, changes in workflow, and personal protective equipment requirements with relatively little change to ECT technique. Lack of access to ECT resulted in significant morbidity and mortality, including suicide, internationally. This is the first multisite, international survey to explore the impacts of COVID-19 on ECT services, staff, and patients.

Revisiting the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in depression, again.

Following on from the publication of the Royal Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Mood Disorder Clinical Practice Guidelines (2020) and criticisms of how these aberrantly addressed repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment of depression, questions have continued to be raised in the journal about this treatment by a small group of authors, whose views we contend do not reflect the broad acceptance of this treatment nationally and internationally. In fact, the evidence supporting the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in depression is unambiguous and substantial, consisting of an extensive series of clinical trials supported by multiple meta-analyses, network meta-analysis and umbrella reviews. Importantly, the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in depression has also been subject to a series of health economic analyses. These indicate that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is a cost-effective therapy and have been used in some jurisdictions, including Australia, in support of public funding. An argument has been made that offering repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment may delay potentially effective pharmacotherapy. In fact, there is considerably greater danger of the opposite happening. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is as, if not more effective, than antidepressant medication after two unsuccessful medication trials and should be a consideration for all patients under these circumstances where available. There is no meaningful ongoing debate about the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in depression - it is a safe, effective and cost-effective treatment.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Multisite, Retrospective Study From the Clinical Alliance and Research in Electroconvulsive Therapy and Related Treatments Network.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to reported change in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) services worldwide. However, minimal data have been published demonstrating tangible changes across multiple ECT centers. This article aimed to examine changes in ECT patients and ECT service delivery during the pandemic. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed data collected on ECT patients within the Clinical Alliance and Research in Electroconvulsive Therapy and Related Treatments (CARE) Network during a 3-month period starting at the first COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and compared data with predicted values based on the corresponding 3-month period in 2019. Mixed-effects repeated-measures analyses examined differences in the predicted and actual number of acute ECT courses started and the total number of acute ECT treatments given in 2020. Sociodemographic, clinical, treatment factors, and ECT service delivery factors were compared for 2020 and 2019. RESULTS: Four Australian and 1 Singaporean site participated in the study. There were no significant differences between the predicted and actual number of acute ECT courses and total number of acute ECT treatments administered in 2020. During 2020, there were statistically significant increases in the proportion of patients requiring ECT under substitute consent and receiving ECT for urgent reasons compared with 2019. CONCLUSIONS: This multisite empirical study is among the first that supports anecdotal reports of changes in the triaging and delivery of ECT during COVID-19. Results suggest that ECT was prioritized for the most severely ill patients. Further data assessing the impacts of COVID-19 on ECT are needed.

The place of non-invasive brain stimulation in the RANZCP clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders.

Clinical practice guidelines are important documents as they have the capacity to significantly influence and shape clinical practice in important areas of therapeutics. As such, they need to be developed informed by comprehensive and quality-based systematic reviews, involve consensus deliberations representative of the appropriate experts in the field and be subject to thorough critical review. A revised clinical practice guideline for the management of patients with mood disorders was recently published under the auspices of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. However, this clinical practice guideline was not developed in a manner that reflects the appropriate standards that should apply to clinical practice guideline development and it has critical flaws, especially as it pertains to the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment for patients with depression. The revision of the college clinical practice guideline has explicitly removed clear and unequivocal evidence-based recommendations that were found in a previous version of the clinical practice guideline and replaced these with consensus-based recommendations. However, the consensus-based recommendations were developed without consultation of the appropriate expert body within the college and contradict the scientific literature. There is substantive and unequivocal evidence supporting the antidepressant use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of patients with depression and its use after a patient with depression has failed a limited number (typically around two) of antidepressant medication trials. Readers should refer to the college Professional Practice Guidelines for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation published in 2018 for thorough information about the use of this important new treatment.

Effect of Electroconvulsive Therapy on Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Depressed Patients.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown large improvements in quality of life after a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for severe depressive disorder. The effect of ECT on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the Australian older population has not been explored. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the impact of ECT on HRQOL in older patients with severe major depression and confirm that ECT in these participants is associated with an improvement in depression and no change in cognition. METHODS: Data on 34 patients from a Public Older Persons Mental Health Service in Queensland were collected. The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used pre- and post-ECT. The Wilcoxon signed rank test, Friedman test, and Kendall τ correlation coefficient were performed. RESULTS: A significant improvement in Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form was demonstrated post-ECT. Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores decreased significantly post-ECT. Montreal Cognitive Assessment score increased significantly post-ECT. Significant results were sustained at the 3-month time point. CONCLUSIONS: An acute course of ECT for severe depressive disorder was associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in HRQOL. There was also clinical and statistical improvement in depression and no significant decrease in global cognitive function, memory, or executive function domains after ECT compared with baseline. In fact, the cohort showed improvement on measures of cognition post-ECT.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists professional practice guidelines for the administration of electroconvulsive therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To provide guidance for the optimal administration of electroconvulsive therapy, in particular maintaining the high efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy while minimising cognitive side-effects, based on scientific evidence and supplemented by expert clinical consensus. METHODS: Articles and information were sourced from existing guidelines and the published literature. Information was revised and discussed by members of the working group of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' Section for Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neurostimulation, and findings were then formulated into consensus-based recommendations and guidance. The guidelines were subjected to rigorous successive consultation and external review within the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, involving the full Section for Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neurostimulation membership, and expert and clinical advisors and professional bodies with an interest in electroconvulsive therapy administration. RESULTS: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' professional practice guidelines for the administration of electroconvulsive therapy provide up-to-date advice regarding the use of electroconvulsive therapy in clinical practice and are informed by evidence and clinical experience. The guidelines are intended for use by psychiatrists and also others with an interest in the administration of electroconvulsive therapy. The guidelines are not intended as a directive about clinical practice or instructions as to what must be done for a given patient, but provide guidance to facilitate best practice to help optimise outcomes for patients. The outcome is guidelines that strive to find the appropriate balance between promoting best evidence-based practice and acknowledging that electroconvulsive therapy is a continually evolving practice. CONCLUSION: The guidelines provide up-to-date advice for psychiatrists to promote optimal standards of electroconvulsive therapy practice.

The Clinical Alliance and Research in Electroconvulsive Therapy Network: An Australian Initiative for Improving Service Delivery of Electroconvulsive Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: There is currently substantial heterogeneity in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment methods between clinical settings. Understanding how this variation in clinical practice is related to treatment outcomes is essential for optimizing service delivery. The Clinical Alliance and Research in ECT Network is a clinical and research framework with the aims of improving clinical practice, enabling auditing and benchmarking, and facilitating the collection of naturalistic clinical data. METHODS: The network framework and clinical and treatment variables collected and rationale for the use of particular outcome measures are described. Survey results detailing the use of ECT across initial participating clinical centers were examined. RESULTS: The data are reported from 18 of 22 participating centers, the majority based in Australia. Melancholic unipolar depression was the most common clinical indication (78%). Right unilateral (44%) and bifrontal (39%) were the most commonly used electrode placements. Eighty one percent of the centers used individual seizure titration for initial dosing. CONCLUSIONS: There was substantial heterogeneity in the use of ECT between participating centers, indicating that the Network is representative of modern ECT practice. The Clinical Alliance and Research in ECT Network may therefore offer the opportunity to improve service delivery and facilitate the investigation of unresolved research questions pertaining to modern ECT practice.

The effects of treatment, clinical and demographic factors on recovery of orientation after ECT: A care network study.

BACKGROUND: Time to reorientation after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been shown to predict retrograde amnesia and is a useful measure for monitoring patients over the acute treatment course. This study investigated the effects of treatment, clinical and demographic factors on the recovery of orientation after ECT. METHODS: Data from 555 ECT patients across two different clinical CARE Network sites were analysed. The main outcome variable was recovery of orientation on the 10-Item Orientation Questionnaire assessed after every ECT treatment. A linear mixed-effects repeated measures model was used to predict the recovery of orientation across the ECT course based on multiple factors, including age, gender, electrode montage, ECT number and frequency, diagnosis, and baseline cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Type of ECT demonstrated a significant effect (F(2, 2341) = 48.414, p = 0.000): individuals who received right unilateral (RUL) ultrabrief ECT or bifrontal ECT had higher orientation scores compared to those who received RUL brief pulse ECT. Older age groups and female patients had lower orientation scores. Baseline global cognitive functioning significantly influenced orientation scores (F(3, 2339) = 43.597, p = 0.000), with individuals with no or mild cognitive impairment exhibiting higher scores. LIMITATIONS: The study involved a retrospective analysis of de-identified data, which may have introduced inherent biases with missing data. CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale retrospective, real-world study showed that recovery of orientation after ECT was most affected by ECT type, though age, gender, and baseline level cognitive impairment also affected outcomes. These findings can inform the interpretation of post ECT orientation scores, facilitating its monitoring and optimisation of patient outcomes.

Cognitive outcomes from the randomised, active-controlled Ketamine for Adult Depression Study (KADS).

BACKGROUND: Due to its rapid antidepressant effect, ketamine has recently been clinically translated for people with treatment-resistant depression. However, its cognitive profile remains unclear, particularly with repeated and higher doses. In the present study, we report the cognitive results from a recent large multicentre randomised controlled trial, the Ketamine for Adult Depression Study (KADS). METHODS: In this randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, parallel group, multicentre phase 3 trial study we investigated potential cognitive changes following repeated treatment of subcutaneous racemic ketamine compared to an active comparator, midazolam, over 4 weeks, which involved two cohorts; Cohort 1 involved a fixed dose treatment protocol (0.5 mg/kg ketamine), Cohort 2 involved a dose escalation protocol (0.5-0.9 mg/kg) based on mood outcomes. Participants with treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) were recruited from 7 mood disorder centres and were randomly assigned to receive ketamine (Cohort 1 n = 33; Cohort 2 n = 53) or midazolam (Cohort 1 n = 35; Cohort 2 n = 53) in a 1:1 ratio. Cognitive measurements were assessed at baseline and at the end of randomised treatment. RESULTS: Results showed that in Cohort 1, there were no differences between ketamine and midazolam in cognitive outcomes. For Cohort 2, there was similarly no difference between conditions for cognitive outcomes. LIMITATIONS: The study included two Cohorts with different dosing regimes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the cognitive safety of repeated fixed and escalating doses at least in the short-term in people with treatment resistant MDD.