Hostname: page-component-55f67697df-jr75m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-05-17T15:41:50.677Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Patterns of electroconvulsive therapy use in Spain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

José Manuel Bertolín-Guillén ,
Salvador Peiró-Moreno  and
María Eugenia Hernández-de-Pablo
José Manuel Bertolín-Guillén*
Affiliation:
Hospital Psychiatric Unit, Service of Psychiatry, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Avda, Tres Cruces 2, 46014Valencia, Spain
Salvador Peiró-Moreno
Affiliation:
Escuela Valenciana de Estudios para la Salud (EVES), Conselleria de Sanitat, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
María Eugenia Hernández-de-Pablo
Affiliation:
Hospital Psychiatric Unit, Service of Psychiatry, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Avda, Tres Cruces 2, 46014Valencia, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 961 972 000; fax: +34 963 503 964. E-mail address: jose.m.bertolin@uv.es (J.M. Bertolín-Guillén).
Get access

Abstract

Objective

– To describe the utilization, geographical variations and adaptation of ECT in the Spanish context.

Method

– A cross-sectional study, involving a questionnaire delivered to all hospitals with a Psychiatry Unit (PU) in Spain included in the National Hospitals Catalogue (N = 233). A descriptive analysis was made of the answers to the different questions, using an adequate denominator in each case: all PUs (n = 233), those units that prescribe and apply ECT (n = 174), or only those that apply the technology (n = 108).

Results

– All PUs completed the questionnaire. Fifty-nine units (25.3%) neither prescribed nor applied ECT, while 108 (46.4%) prescribed and applied the technology, and 66 PUs (28.3%) only prescribed ECT. Those units with training responsibilities for psychiatry residents or pregraduate students, and those with a larger number of beds, were more inclined to apply ECT. The estimated ECT applied in the preceding 12 months totaled 2435 with an annual rate per 10,000 inhabitants of 0.61, and a range per Spanish Autonomous Community of 0.28–16.59.

Conclusions

– We now know a reliable rate and characteristics of the use of ECT in Spain, and the attitudes and opinion of PUs Spanish psychiatrists about it. We found a very important variability in ECT application rates among Autonomous Communities.

Keywords

Electroconvulsive therapyTreatment availabilityAttitudeSpainQuestionnaire
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 21 , Issue 7 , October 2006 , pp. 463 - 470
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier SAS 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

American Psychiatric Association. The practice of electroconvulsive therapy. Recommendations for treatment, training, and privileging. 2nd ed Washington, DC: APA 2001.Google Scholar
Andersson, J.E., Bolwig, T.G.Elektrokonvulsiv terapi i Danmark 1999. En landsaekkende Sporgeskemaundersogelse Ugeskr. Laeger 2002; 164:3449–3452.Google Scholar
Barcia Salorio, D., Martínez Pardo, F.Encuesta sobre la utilización del electrochoque en España Actas Luso Esp. Neurol. Psiquiatr. 1978; 6:117–156.Google Scholar
Benadhira, R., Teles, A.Situation actuelle de l’electroconvulsivotherapie dans les services de psychiatrie adultes en France Encephale 2001; 27:129–136.Google Scholar
Benbow, S.M.Old age psychiatrists’ views on the use of ECT Int J Geriatr Psychiatr 1991; 6:317–322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernardo, M., Arrufat, F., Pintor, L., Catarineu, S., Buisán, E., Ballús, C.Patrones de uso de la terapia electroconvulsiva en Barcelona Med. Clin. (Barc.) 1996; 6:201–204.Google Scholar
Bernardo, M., Arrufat, F., Catarineu, S., Peri, J.M., Miñarro, A., Pintor, L.et al.Pautas actuales en la utilización de la terapia electroconvulsiva en Europa Psiquiatr Biol 1996; 3:213–219.Google Scholar
Bertolín, J.M., Peiró, S., Hernández, M.E., Sáez, C.Variabilidad en actitudes y condiciones de utilización de la terapia electroconvulsiva. Resultados de un estudio preliminar Actas Esp Psiquatr 2001; 29:390–395.Google Scholar
Chung, K.F.Electroconvulsive therapy in Hong Kong: rates of use, indications, and outcome J. ECT 2003; 19:98–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freeman, C.The ECT handboock: the second report of the Royal College of Psychiatrits’ Special Committee on ECT. Council Report CR39. London: Royal College of Psychiatrits; 1995.Google Scholar
Gangadhar, B.N., Janakiramaiah, N., Subbakrishna, D.K., Praveen, J., Reddy, A.K.Twice versus thrice weekly ECT in melancholia: a double-blind prospective comparison J. Affect. Disord. 1993; 27:273–278.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gazdag, G., Kocsis, N., Lipcsey, A.Rates of electroconvulsive therapy use in Hungary in 2002 J. ECT 2004; 20:42–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glen, T., Scott, A.I.Rates of electroconvulsive therapy use in Edinburgh J. Affect. Disord. 1999; 54:81–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hermann, R.C., Dorwart, R.A., Hoover, C.W., Brody, J.Variation in ECT use in the United States Am. J. Psychiatry 1995; 152:869–875.Google ScholarPubMed
Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Padrón Municipal 1998. Madrid: INE; 2001.Google Scholar
Janakiramaiah, N., Motreja, S., Gangadhar, B.N., Subbakrisna, D.K., Parameshwara, G.Once vs. three times weekly ECT in melancholia: a randomized controlled trial Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 1998; 98:316–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Latey, R.H., Fahy, T.J.Electroconvulsive therapy in the Republic of Ireland, 1982 Br. J. Psychiatry 1985; 147:438–439.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Latey, R.H., Fahy, T.J.Some influences on regional variation in frecuency of prescription of electroconvulsive therapy Br. J. Psychiatry 1988; 152:196–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayur, P.M., Gangadhar, B.N., Subbakrishna, D.K., Janakiramaiah, N.Discontinuation of antidepressant drugs during electroconvulsive therapy: a controlled study J. Affect. Disord. 2000; 58:37–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Ministerio de la Presidencia. Catálogo nacional de hospitales. Actualizado a 31 de diciembre de 1999. Madrid: Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo & Boletín Oficial del Estado; 2001.Google Scholar
Motohashi, N., Awata, S., Higuchi, T.A questionnaire survey of ECT practice in university hospitals and national hospitals in Japan J. ECT 2004; 20:21–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Müller, U., Klimke, A., Jänner, M., Gaebel, W.Die Elektrokrampftherapie in psychiatrischen Kliniken der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1995 Nervenarzt 1998; 69:15–26.Google Scholar
Pippard, J., Ellam, L.Electroconvulsive treatment in Great Britain Br. J. Psychiatry 1981; 139:563–568.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prudic, J., Peyser, S., Sackeim, H.A.Subjetive memory complaints: a review of patient self-assessment of memory after electroconvulsive therapy J. ECT 2000; 16:87–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rose, D., Wykes, T., Leese, M., Bindman, J., Fleischmann, P.Patients’ perspectives on electroconvulsive therapy: systematic review BMJ 2003; 326:1363–1367.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Electroconvulsive therapy (Clinical Memorandum No. 12). Melbourne: Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists; 1999.Google Scholar
Shapira, B., Tubi, N., Drexler, H., Lidsky, D., Calev, A., Lerer, B.Cost and benefit in the choice of ECT schedule Br. J. Psychiatry 1998; 172:44–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sociedad Española de Psiquiatría. Consenso español sobre la terapia electroconvulsiva. Madrid: Emisa; 1999.Google Scholar
Tew, J.D. Jr., Mulsant, B.H., Haskettt, R.F., Prudic, J., Thase, M.E., Crowe, R.R.et al.Acute efficacy of ECT in the treatment of major depression in the old-old Am. J. Psychiatry 1999; 156:1865–1870.Google ScholarPubMed
Thompson, J.W., Blaine, J.D.Use of ECT in the United States in 1975 and 1980 Am. J. Psychiatry 1987; 144:557–562.Google ScholarPubMed
Wijeratne, C., Halliday, G., Lyndon, R.W.The present status of electroconvulsive therapy: a systematic review Med. J. Aust. 1999; 171:250–254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wood, D.A., Burgess, P.M.Epidemiological analysis of electroconvulsive therapy in Victoria Aust. N. Z. J. Psychiatry 2003; 37:307–311.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.