Evaluation of the Efficacy of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Relation to the Anesthetic Agent Applied: A Retrospective Analysis.
Selin Balki Tekin, Ayşe Nur İnci Kenar, İhsan Anıl Doğruyol, Özgür Tekin
The Journal of ECT April 28, 2025 DOI: 10.1097/YCT.0000000000001155 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 149 |
| Population | Patients who received electroconvulsive therapy from March 2023 to July 2024 |
| Interventions | Electroconvulsive therapy Ketamine Propofol Propofol to ketamine Propofol ketamine combination |
| Duration | March 2023 to July 2024 |
| Topics | Ketamine |
| Keywords | Electroconvulsive therapy efficacy Propofol Electroconvulsive therapy ect Anesthesia anesthetic agents Narcosis Ketamine ketalar Special k Sedation Therapeutic effectiveness Electroshock therapy |
| Key points | The number of effective ECT sessions was statistically significantly higher with ketamine alone than with propofol, propofol to ketamine, or a propofol-ketamine combination. |
Abstract
The present study aims to make a contribution to the extant literature on the sharing of clinical experiences with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the effects of different anesthetic drugs on ECT efficacy. A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients who were administered ECT from March 2023 to July 2024 was conducted to obtain data on age, gender, psychiatric diagnosis, type of psychiatric drugs used, the effectiveness of ECT, type of anesthetic agent administered during ECT, and the side effects after ECT. A total of 149 patients were included in the study, of whom 81 (54.4%) were female and 68 (45.6%) were male, with a mean age of 41.72 years (±15.68). At least 1 side effect related to ECT was reported in 23 patients. When the number of effective sessions was analyzed according to the anesthetic agent used, the number of effective sessions of ECT was statistically significantly higher in patients who received ketamine alone than in patients who received propofol, propofol to ketamine, and propofol ketamine combination (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.011, respectively). No significant relationship was found between the type of anesthetic agent and side effects (P = 0.059). The combination of ketamine and propofol may be regarded as a safer option in terms of side effects and cognitive functions when compared with their use in isolation. Furthermore, the utilization of ketamine as an anesthetic agent in patients exhibiting ineffective seizures can be regarded as a viable alternative strategy.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taming the Ketamine Tiger Volunteers from a prison population | 2010 | Observational study | n = 20 |
| Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin Humans | 2017 | Observational study | |
| Disruption of Frontal–Parietal Communication by Ketamine, Propofol, and Sevoflurane Surgical patients undergoing induction of anesthesia with intravenous ketamine | 2013 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
| Do the dissociative side effects of ketamine mediate its antidepressant effects? Treatment-resistant inpatients with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder | 2014 | Observational cohort | n = 108 |
| Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |