Blogger on Hiatus November 23-28

I will be on hiatus from November 23-28, resuming on the 29th.

Please feel free to review prior blog posts, and don't forget to check PubMed.


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ECT plus Antidepressants: a Review

Out on PubMed, from researchers in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, is this review: Influence of an adjuvant antidepressant on the efficacy of  electroconvulsive  therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pluijms EM, Kamperman AM, Hoogendijk WJ, Birkenhäger TK, van den Broek WW. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2020 Sep 8:4867420952543. doi: 10.1177/0004867420952543. Online ahead of print. PMID:  32900217 Here is the "Conclusion" section from the text: Our results suggest that an adjuvant antidepressant enhances the efficacy of ECT in patients with major depression. Although the included studies had some methodological limitations, effect sizes were consistently small to moderate. We speculate that modern-day controlled trials using adequately dosed TCAs and MAOIs will most likely result in larger effect sizes. From a clinical point of view, we prefer an adjuvant TCA to an adjuvant MAOI, since TCAs are generally safe to use with ECT ( American Psychiatric Association, 2001 ; ...
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Happy Birthday to Max Fink!

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Happy 102nd birthday to Max Fink, MD! Max Fink, an icon in our field, is one of the most influential ECT researchers, practitioners and advocates of all time. He has also been a friend and mentor to many of us in the ECT world, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. Please join me in wishing him all the best today!                                                    Max Fink, October 2024, with Andrea and Charles Kellner
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Electroconvulsive Therapy Device Litigation: Two LTEs in Psychiatric Services

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 Out on PubMed, from American authors are these two LTEs: Electroconvulsive Therapy Device Litigation. Swartz C. Psychiatr Serv. 2025 May 1;76(5):533-534. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.20250061. PMID:  40308100   =========================================================================== Reply to Swartz. Appelbaum PS. Psychiatr Serv. 2025 May 1;76(5):534. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.20250090. PMID:  40308097 Here is a letter from Conrad Swartz and a reply from Paul Applebaum about ongoing/pending ECT device manufacturer litigation, perpetrated by the Church of Scientology. A pity that Dr. Applebaum seems to take a slightly antagonistic obsessional/legalistic view, missing the overarching point of the need to protect ECT from scurrilous attacks.
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