Can ECT Prevent Premature Death and Suicide in ‘Schizoaffective’ Patients?

Conducted a follow-up study of 74 schizoaffective patients hospitalized between 1934 & 1944: subjects were traced in 1975. 55 of the subjects were still living. Comparisons between the 24 who had received ECT & the 50 who had not show a significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups: 8% of the ECT’s vs 34% of the no-ECT’s were deceased at follow-up. Neither sex nor age at admission & at follow-up differed significantly between the 2 groups.