Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy for Preventing Relapse and Recurrence of Depression in Adults With Major Depressive Disorder: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

The present meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in preventing the relapse and recurrence of depression in adults with major depressive disorders. The study was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two authors conducted a systematic search of online databases, such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE, using keywords, such as “electroconvulsive therapy,” “depressive disorders,” and “recurrence.” The primary outcome measure was the incidence of relapse and recurrence in adults with major depressive disorder who received ECT alone or in combination with an antidepressant medication compared to those who received antidepressant medication alone. The secondary outcome measure was the change in the Mini-Mental State Examination score from baseline to the end of the trial in both groups. A total of six articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled rate of recurrence in the ECT group was 28.4% compared to 30.6% in the antidepressant group, with no significant difference between the two groups (risk ratio (RR) = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.65-1.10, p = 0.21). However, subgroup analysis showed that the risk of recurrence was significantly lower in patients receiving ECT with antidepressant therapy compared to the antidepressant group alone (RR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.45-0.93, p = 0.02). On the other hand, when ECT was given alone, the risk was higher in the ECT group compared to the antidepressant group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (RR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.79-1.75). In conclusion, the results of this meta-analysis suggest that ECT alone or in combination with an antidepressant medication does not significantly impact the incidence of recurrence in adults with major depressive disorder when compared to antidepressant medication alone.