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ECT in Ultra-resistant Schizophrenia

Not Applicable
Conditions
Schizophrenia
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Interventions
Device: Electroconvulsive therapy
Registration Number
NCT03542903
Lead Sponsor
Centre Hospitalier du Rouvray
Brief Summary

The effects of the ECT in schizophrenia ultra-resistant were studied in short times (4-6 months in most studies with follow-up). The literature identified a high relapse rate of 32% in the weeks to months after ECT discontinuation. The use of the ECT in the prevention of the relapse is partially known. In an empirical way, experts recommend protocols of prevention of the relapse going from 6 to 12 months. Nevertheless, the profit of a long cure (12 months) compared with a short cure (6 months) was never determined. Therefore, the investigators decided to lead a prospective randomized controlled study in order to compare the response rates between the two strategies of clozapine and ECT combinations applied to URS patients. The treatment consisted either in a short therapy of six months or a longer course of therapy of twelve months. To the investigators' knowledge, it is the first study which compares two ECT strategies (both the short duration and the longer one) for the treatment of URS patients.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
64
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patients with URS: patients who continue to experience persistent positive psychotic symptoms: item score of 4 (moderate) on at least two of four positive symptoms on the BPRS (grandiosity, suspiciousness, hallucinations and unusual thoughts), current presence of at least moderately severe illness on the total BPRS-18 (45) and a score of 4 (moderate) on the CGI-S, despite a period of clozapine therapy of at least 6 weeks with a plasma concentration of 350 ng/ml and at least two unsuccessful previous treatment trials with conventional or atypical antipsychotic drugs from two distinct families at a dose 600 mg of chlorpromazine equivalents.
  • Age: from 18 to 55
  • Patients with stable treatments for at least 8 weeks (antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and antidepressants).
  • Participants who gave their informed, written consents and agreement of their guardian for the patients under guardianship
  • Patients deprived of liberty if they gave their informed, written consents
Exclusion Criteria
  • Current affective episode according to DSM-5 criteria;
  • ECT within (the last) 6 months;
  • Unstable epilepsy ; severe neurological or systemic disorder that could significantly affect cognition, behavior, or mental status (other than late dyskinesia or neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism);
  • Severe substance use disorders (other than nicotine or caffeine) according to DSM-5 criteria.
  • Concomitant use of antiepileptics and benzodiazepines apart from lamotrigine
  • Women of childbearing age with no adequate contraception, pregnant or lactating women;
  • Patients having contraindications to etomidate or any of its excipients;
  • Patients having contraindications to neuromuscular blocking agents;
  • Patients participating or having participated in an interventional clinical trial within 30 days prior to the inclusion visit;

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Short ECT armElectroconvulsive therapyIn the short arm, bitemporal ECT is administered twice a week during the first 6 weeks. Afterwards, it is administered once a week during 4 weeks. After that, the patients will have one ECT every 3 weeks during 6 weeks. Lastly, patients will receive one ECT each month during 2 months.
Long ECT armElectroconvulsive therapyIn the long arm, bitemporal ECT is administered twice a week during the first 12 weeks. Afterwards, it is administered once a week during 8 weeks. After that, the patients will have one ECT every 3 weeks during 12 weeks. Lastly, patients will receive one ECT each month during 4 months.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
The response rate (a 30% decrease in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)) at 15th monththree months after the end of the treatment (i.e. 9 and 15 months)

The response rate (a 30% decrease in the PANSS, ranging from 30, the minimum, to 210, the most severe score) at 15th month

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Neuropsychological assessment- test of doors-1, 6 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the test of doors at -1, 6 and 15 months.

The response rate (a 30% decrease in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS))three months after the end of the treatment (i.e. 9 and 15 months)

The response rate (a 30% decrease in the BPRS, ranging from 18, the minimum, to 126, the most severe score) at 15th month.

The response rate (a 30% decrease in the BPRS) at different times of the study2, 4, 6 and 12 months

The response rate (a 30 % decrease in the BPRS) at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months.

Response rate (a 30% decrease in the PANSS) at different times of the study2, 4, 6 and 12 months

The response rate (a 30 % decrease in the PANSS) at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months.

Neuropsychological assessment- MMSE-1, 6 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) at -1, 6 and 15 months.

Neuropsychological assessment- SSTICS-1, 6 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the Subjective Scale To Investigate Cognition In Schizophrenia (SSTICS, scores ranging from 0 to 84, the most severe score) at -1, 6 and 15 months.

Neuropsychological assessment- Grober and Buschke test-1, 6 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the test of Grober and Buschke at -1, 6 and 15 months.

Neuropsychological assessment- test of d2-1, 6 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the test of d2 at -1, 6 and 15 months.

Neuropsychological assessment - "figure de Rey" test-1, 6 and 15 months

the scores ans variations of the test of " figure de Rey" at -1, 6 and 15 months.

Other clinical assessment- HAMD-21day 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the Hamilton Rating Scale-21 items (HAMD-21, scores ranging from 0 to 64, the most severe score) at day 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months.

Other clinical assessment-YMRSday 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS, scores ranging from 0 to 60, the most severe score) at day 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months.

Other clinical assessment-GAFday 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the Global Assessment Functioning (GAF, scores ranging from 0 to 100, the best score) at day 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months.

Other clinical assessment-MOASday 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months

The scores and variations of the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS, scores ranging from 0 to 100, the most severe score) at day 1 and 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months.

Trial Locations

Locations (10)

Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens

🇫🇷

Bordeaux, France

Centre Hospitalier Henri Laborit

🇫🇷

Poitiers, France

CHU de Caen

🇫🇷

Caen, France

Centre Hospitalier de Cadillac

🇫🇷

Cadillac, France

Montpellier University Hospital

🇫🇷

Montpellier, France

Clermont-Ferrand Hospital

🇫🇷

Clermont-Ferrand, France

CHU de Nantes

🇫🇷

Nantes, France

EPS Ville Evrard

🇫🇷

Neuilly-sur-Marne, France

Centre Hospitalier Saint Anne

🇫🇷

Paris, France

CHU de Toulouse

🇫🇷

Toulouse, France

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