Year: 2005 Source: American Journal of Psychiatry, v.162, no.5, (May 2005), p.977-982 SIEC No: 20060107

This study assessed the incidence, & course of expressed suicidal intent in depressed patients who were treated with ECT. Suicidal intent, as expressed by patients during an interview, was scored at baseline & before each ECT session with item 3 on the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in 444 patients with unipolar depression. 131 patients reported suicidal thoughts & acts at baseline. Scores decreased to 0 after 1 week in 38.2% of the patients, after 2 weeks in 61.1% & in 80.9% at the end of the course of treatment. (LC) (35 refs)