A comparison between Right Unilateral Ultrabrief electroconvulsive therapy and bilateral electroconvulsive therapy in the elderly: a pilot naturalistic observational study.

Objectives: To compare clinical outcomes and adverse effects between Bitemporal (BT) and Right Unilateral Ultrabrief (RUL(UB)) electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in an elderly population.

Methods: Patients over the age of 65 years admitted to a tertiary referral hospital over a seven month period requiring ECT received RUL(UB) ECT. They were compared with those who received BT ECT over these and the preceding seven months.