PMID- 31668364
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20210113
LR  - 20210113
IS  - 1545-7214 (Electronic)
IS  - 1064-7481 (Linking)
VI  - 28
IP  - 2
DP  - 2020 Feb
TI  - Efficacy and Safety of ECT for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia 
      (BPSD): A Retrospective Chart Review.
PG  - 157-163
LID - S1064-7481(19)30518-4 [pii]
LID - 10.1016/j.jagp.2019.09.008 [doi]
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Much of the functional disturbance in patients with dementia reflects 
      the presence of noncognitive behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia 
      (BPSD). Agitation is among the most distressing symptoms for patients, 
      clinicians, and caregivers. Currently no pharmacotherapy has clearly been shown 
      to be of value for this condition. This study used a chart review method to 
      examine the safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for patients 
      with dementia receiving ECT for agitation. METHODS: A retrospective chart review 
      was conducted of patients with dementia presenting with symptoms of aggression or 
      agitation and who received ECT treatments. Aggression and agitation were measured 
      by pre- and post-ECT Pittsburg Agitation Scale (PAS) scores. Detailed history of 
      the use of psychotropic medications as well as other clinically relevant 
      variables was analyzed. FINDINGS: Sixty elderly patients (45 women and 15 men, 
      75% female, mean age 77.5 +/- 8.0 years) were included in the analysis. Most 
      patients were treatment resistant to multiple psychotropic medications prior to 
      ECT (mean number 6.1+/-1.5). The baseline PAS total was 9.3 +/- 3.7 and it decreased 
      significantly after three (2.5+/-2.8) and six (1.5+/-2.3) ECT treatments. No 
      significant ECT-related medical complications were observed except transient 
      confusion. A decrease in the number of psychotropics prescribed along with an 
      increase in the GAF score was observed after the ECT treatment course. 
      CONCLUSION: ECT was safe in this sample of patients who had co-morbid medical 
      conditions. ECT was associated with the following observations: 1) a reduction in 
      agitation; 2) a reduction in psychotropic polypharmacy; and 3) an improvement in 
      global functioning level. Further research evaluating the effects of ECT in the 
      setting of dementia is warranted.
CI  - Copyright (c) 2019 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by 
      Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
FAU - Hermida, Adriana P
AU  - Hermida AP
AD  - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of 
      Medicine, Atlanta, GA. Electronic address: ahermid@emory.edu.
FAU - Tang, Yi-Lang
AU  - Tang YL
AD  - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of 
      Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
FAU - Glass, Oliver
AU  - Glass O
AD  - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of 
      Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
FAU - Janjua, A Umair
AU  - Janjua AU
AD  - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of 
      Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
FAU - McDonald, William M
AU  - McDonald WM
AD  - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of 
      Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
LA  - eng
PT  - Evaluation Study
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20190926
PL  - England
TA  - Am J Geriatr Psychiatry
JT  - The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American 
      Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
JID - 9309609
RN  - 0 (Psychotropic Drugs)
SB  - IM
CIN - Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020 Feb;28(2):164-166. PMID: 31734085
MH  - Aged
MH  - Aged, 80 and over
MH  - Aggression/*psychology
MH  - Combined Modality Therapy/adverse effects/psychology/statistics & numerical data
MH  - Dementia/complications/drug therapy/psychology/*therapy
MH  - Electroconvulsive Therapy/adverse effects/*psychology
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales/statistics & numerical data
MH  - Psychomotor Agitation/complications/psychology/*therapy
MH  - Psychotropic Drugs/therapeutic use
MH  - Retrospective Studies
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Alzheimer's disease
OT  - BPSD
OT  - ECT
OT  - agitation
OT  - dementia
OT  - electroconvulsive therapy
EDAT- 2019/11/02 06:00
MHDA- 2021/01/14 06:00
CRDT- 2019/11/01 06:00
PHST- 2019/08/14 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2019/09/21 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2019/09/23 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2019/11/02 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2021/01/14 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2019/11/01 06:00 [entrez]
AID - S1064-7481(19)30518-4 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.jagp.2019.09.008 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020 Feb;28(2):157-163. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2019.09.008. 
      Epub 2019 Sep 26.