RCPsych International Congress Liverpool 10-13th July
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) held its International Congress in Liverpool from the 10th to the 13th of July. This event is one of the most significant gatherings for mental health professionals, bringing together psychiatrists, researchers, and mental health practitioners from around the world to discuss the latest advancements, research, and practices in psychiatry.
Exploring the trend in the use of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Trancranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust
Introduction
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive form of therapeutic brain intervention effective in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). rTMS utilizes electromagnetic induction of currents in the brain by applying repetitive magnetic stimuli over the scalp, stimulating neurons.1 A recent meta-analysis reported remission rates of 25.1% across 23 studies.
Aim
We aimed to analyse the trend of new courses of ECT in Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust from 2007 – 2023 and also compare the use of ECT, rTMS, Ketamine and combined rTMS + Ketamine in the Treatment Centre and The Centre for Neuromodulation in Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust from 2013 – 2023.
Results
The data shows that there has been a significant decrease in the number of ECT procedures performed in recent years, with a decrease of over 50% – 70% in new courses of ECT among various units in the trust.
Regarding the data for rTMS treatment vs ECT of particular note is the recent period of 2019 – 2023 during which, on average rTMS was administered 10 times more than ECT at Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust, accounting for approx. 88% of the total treatments, while ECT accounted for 8% and Ketamine treatments accounted for 4%.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that rTMS is becoming an increasingly popular treatment option for depression and may eventually replace ECT as the primary treatment in the Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust.
This poster provides an overview of the current state of ECT, rTMS, and ketamine as treatments for depression, and highlights the need for further research to better understand the relative effectiveness and safety of these treatments, especially in treatment-resistant depression cases.
Join us at the next International Congress
