The use of electroconvulsive therapy in the psychiatric unit at Ibn Sina Hospital Mosul

Abstract EN

Aim : to evaluate the use of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the psychiatric unit at Ibn Sina teaching Hospital in Mosul.

Method : A register-based prospective study of the use of ECT in the psychiatric unit in Ibn Sina teaching hospital in Mosul during the period between 1 \ 7 \ 2007 to 31 \ 6 \ 2008, the results were analyzed according to age, gender, marital state, residency, educational levels, diagnosis, and any repeat course of ECT during 12 months, and number of treatments for the course ; chi square was used for statistical analysis.

Results : One hundred fifty eight patients treated with one or more courses of ECT.

Ninety one patients (58.2 %) were men and sixty six (41.8.8 %) were women.

Ninety five (61.1 %) were schizophrenic, 26 (16.5 %) were complaining from acute psychosis and 23 (14, 5 %) had depression, while 13 (8.2 %) had manic episode.

Fifty eight patients (36.7 %) had more than a course of ECT ; 53(9 %) of them had mania ; 56.9 % of them were males.

Conclusions : Schizophrenic patients are subjected to ECT more than other diseases specially if they are males from urban areas, this may be due to shortage of other methods of treatment or there might be a tendency to diagnose schizophrenia in psychotic patients.