Failed and short seizures associated with prior electroconvulsive therapy.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has not been associated with many long-lasting effects that are associated with the treatments itself. The impact of having prior ECT to determine if the increased seizure threshold that is noticed during the treatment course is long-lasting was studied. If so, more failed and short seizures should occur among those patients who have had prior electroconvulsive treatments. A review of the treatments of 114 males and 220 females indicated a strong association of prior ECT with failed as well as short seizures for men but not for women.