Objective:To evaluate what type of outcome Severely demented patients have when treated with ECT.
Design:Retrospective review of Inpatient Geropsychiatric Admissions.
Materials and Methods:961 inpatients of all cognitive levels admitted over an 8 ½ year period were retrospectively reviewed for various factors including subjective outcome of treatment. 76 were subjectively rated as severely demented.
Results:76 received ECT with (93.42% excellent and good results). Only one did not improve. Some of the 76 ECT patients have been followed for many years. Some had no readmissions either with or without outpatient ECT. Some needed only two admissions and were consequently not readmitted for years. Only two of the 76 ECT admissions were readmitted in less than sixty days. The lengths of stays (LOS) of the severely demented ECT patients were actually less (28.9 than patients of other cognitive levels who were treated with ECT (33.7 to 37.1). Possible reasons for this are discussed.
Conclusion:People with severe dementia probably are not seen as being excellent treatment responders, but at least in this study they were. ECT should be considered if medications do not quickly relieve the patient's suffering.
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