Abstract :
Aim: To evaluate the use of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the psychiatric unit at
Ibn Sina teaching Hospital in Mosul.
Method: A register-based prospective study of the use of ECT in the psychiatric unit
in Ibn Sina teaching hospital in Mosul during the period between 1 /7/2007 to
31/6/2008, the results were analyzed according to age, gender, marital state, residency,
educational levels, diagnosis, and any repeat course of ECT during 12 months, and
number of treatments for the course; chi square was used for statistical analysis.
Results: One hundred fifty eight patients treated with one or more courses of ECT.
Ninety one patients (58.2%) were men and sixty six (41.8.8%) were women. Ninety
five (61.1%) were schizophrenic, 26 (16.5%) were complaining from acute psychosis
and 23 (14,5%) had depression, while 13 (8.2%) had manic episode. Fifty eight
patients (36.7%) had more than a course of ECT; 53(9%) of them had mania; 56.9% of
them were males.
Conclusions: Schizophrenic patients are subjected to ECT more than other diseases
specially if they are males from urban areas, this may be due to shortage of other
methods of treatment or there might be a tendency to diagnose schizophrenia in
psychotic patients
