Demographic and clinical characteristics of study participants
| Characteristic | Group; mean ± SD (range)* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDD, n = 50 | Control, n = 33 | ||||
| Age, yr | 43.78 ± 14 | 39.33 ± 12 | |||
| Sex, no. male:female | 23:27 | 14:19 | |||
| Adjusted education, yr | 15.78 ± 2.70 | 16.94 ± 2.30 | |||
| Handedness, dextral:nondextral†‡ | 37:12 | 28:4 | |||
| No. of ECT index sessions§ | 9.96 ± 4.05 (1–22) | — | |||
| Lead placement, no. of RUL:mixed:bilateral§ | 34:13:1 | — | |||
| Diagnosis, unipolar:bipolar | 43:7 | — | |||
| No. of responders:remitters¶ | 19:13 | — | |||
| Age at onset, yr† | 27.75 ± 12.23 | — | |||
| Duration of current episode, yr† | 1.81 ± 2.82 | — | |||
| Lifetime duration of illness, yr† | 17.78 ± 13.31 | — | |||
| Time point | T1, n = 50 | T2, n = 42 | T3, n = 33 | C1, n = 33 | C2, n = 31 |
| HAMD-17 | 24.91 (5.93)** | 20.20 (6.23)†† | 12.46(8.04)‡‡ | — | — |
| QIDS-SR | 20.53 (4.06)** | 16.78(4.87)†† | 10.27(5.80)‡‡ | — | — |
| MADRS | 39.04 (9.23)** | 32.66 (8.68)†† | 16.42(11.47)‡‡ | — | — |
C1 = control baseline; C2 = control follow-up; ECT = electroconvulsive therapy; HAMD-17 = Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; MADRS = Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale; QIDS-SR = Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology – Self-Report; RUL = right unilateral lead placement; SD = standard deviation; T1 = patient baseline; T2 = after the second session of ECT; T3 = after the ECT index series.
↵* Unless indicated otherwise.
↵† Data missing for 1 patient.
↵‡ Estimated using the modified Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, where a laterality quotient of < 0.7 defined nondextrals. Data missing for 1 control.
↵§ Data missing for 2 patients.
↵¶ Response defined as > 50% improvement in HAMD-17 scores over the course of treatment. Remitters defined as patients with HAMD-17 scores < 7 at the end of ECT.
↵** Significant effect between T1 and T2.
↵†† Significant effect between T2 and T3.
↵‡‡ Significant effect between T1 and T3.