Electroconvulsive therapy practice in Catalonia: a survey study comparing data from 1993 and 2010.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the current use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Catalonia (Spain) as compared with ECT practice 17 years ago (1993).

Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire to collect data regarding the use of ECT in Catalan psychiatric units in 2010. A comparative approach was used with respect to previously published data.

Results: Data were obtained from 25 of the 27 units (92.6%) surveyed. The ECT was used in 20 facilities (80%, as opposed to 60% in 1993), and in all cases, a brief-pulse device was used. The most commonly used anesthetic was propofol (65%), and most facilities recorded the seizure duration (95%). The ECT was always administered in combination with pharmacologic therapy, and the primary clinical indication was depression. Only 20% of the ECT procedures were performed in the inpatient unit. Written informed consent to administer ECT was obtained in all centers.

Conclusions: The ECT practice in Catalonia has changed since the 1990s, being administered more often, in a more standardized way and across a larger number of psychiatric units. The results indicate considerable consensus with regard to its indications and conditions of application, which comply with current clinical practice guidelines and standards.