SynthesisNeuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology2013
Relapse following successful electroconvulsive therapy for major depression: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 84 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
84 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 271 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ultrabrief pulse electroconvulsive therapy for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Relapse Following Electroconvulsive Therapy for Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Schizophrenia bulletin · 2026Pooled it
- Continuation electroconvulsive therapy combined with pharmacotherapy for depression relapse prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychological medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Modified electroconvulsive therapy for perinatal depression: scoping review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Efficacy and Safety of Ketamine vs Electroconvulsive Therapy Among Patients With Major Depressive Episode: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.JAMA psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for People With Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Health Technology Assessment.Ontario health technology assessment series · 2021Pooled it
- Neuroanesthesia Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations From Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC).Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology · 2020Guideline
- Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Section 4. Neurostimulation Treatments.Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie · 2016Pooled it
- Relapse prevention after index electroconvulsive therapy in treatment-resistant depression.Annals of clinical psychiatry : official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists · 2014Pooled it
- Durability of the benefit of vagus nerve stimulation in markedly treatment-resistant major depression: a RECOVER trial report.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Trial
- Influence of adjuvant nortriptyline on the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy: A randomized controlled trial and 1-year follow-up.Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica · 2022Trial
- The benefits and costs of changing treatment technique in electroconvulsive therapy due to insufficient improvement of a major depressive episode.Brain stimulationTrial
- The Impact of Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Mental Disorders on the Long-Term Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Systematic review on relapse-prevention strategies following successful electroconvulsive therapy for major depressive disorder.BJPsych open · 2026Review
- Case Report: Right-sided vagus nerve stimulation for treatment-resistant affective disorders with complex cardiac comorbidity.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Real-world analysis of pharmacological treatments to prevent relapse after electroconvulsive therapy for major depressive disorder: A nationwide cohort study.Translational psychiatry · 2025Article
- Maintenance pharmacotherapy after electroconvulsive therapy in inpatients with major depressive disorder: 198 prescriptions in a real-world clinical setting.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Outcomes of patients receiving interventional psychiatric procedures in a large integrated healthcare system.Psychiatry research · 2025Article
- Neurobiological Mechanisms of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Molecular Perspectives of Brain Stimulation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Public psychology and holistic approaches to prevention and treatment of depression.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
24 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
High rates of early relapse following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are typically reported in the literature. Current treatment guidelines offer little information to clinicians on the optimal nature of maintenance therapy following ECT. The aim of this study was to provide a systematic overview of the existing evidence regarding post-ECT relapse. A keyword search of electronic databases was performed for studies appearing in the peer-reviewed literature before January 2013 reporting on relapse rates in responders to an acute course of ECT administered for a major depressive episode. Meta-analyses were performed where appropriate. Thirty-two studies with up to 2 years' duration of follow-up were included. In modern era studies of continuation pharmacotherapy, 51.1% (95% CI=44.7-57.4%) of patients relapsed by 12 months following successful initial treatment with ECT, with the majority (37.7%, 95% CI=30.7-45.2%) relapsing within the first 6 months. The 6-month relapse rate was similar in patients treated with continuation ECT (37.2%, 95% CI=23.4-53.5%). In randomized controlled trials, antidepressant medication halved the risk of relapse compared with placebo in the first 6 months (risk ratio=0.49, 95% CI=0.39-0.62, p<0.0001, number needed to treat=3.3). Despite continuation therapy, the risk of relapse within the first year following ECT is substantial, with the period of greatest risk being the first 6 months. The largest evidence base for efficacy in post-ECT relapse prevention exists for tricyclic antidepressants. Published evidence is limited or non-existent for commonly used newer antidepressants or popular augmentation strategies. Maintenance of well-being following successful ECT needs to be improved.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.