Journal of International Psychiatry

Objective To explore the short-term efficacy, safety and recurrence rate of antidepressants combined with modified electric convulsive therapy for major depressive disorder. Methods 82 patients with severe depressive disorder were randomly divided into study group and control group, 41 cases in each group.Antidepressants combined with modified electric convulsive therapy and antidepressant drugs alone were used respectively for the above two groups. The short-term efficacy, adverse reactions and recurrence rate were recorded after 1-year follow-up. Results There was no significant difference in HAMD-24 score between the two groups at the baseline level (P>0.05). After 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, the difference of HAMD-24 score between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05), and the score of the study group was lower; the difference of adverse reactions between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05); At the end of 1 year after treatment, the difference of rehospitalization rate between two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05), and the rehospitalization rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group; there was a significant difference in education years between the two groups of patients who were readmitted(P<0.05). Conclusion Antidepressants combined with modified electric convulsive therapy can quickly relieve the symptoms of depression, and its short-term efficacy is better than that of antidepressants alone. However, we need to pay attention to the condition of patients with low education level who have a high recurrence rate.

Major depressive disorder; Modified electric convulsive; Short-term efficacy; Recurrence rate