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Optimal Dose of Succinylcholine and Rocuronium for Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

NCT01441960 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 45

Last updated 2015-06-02

Study results available
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Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the transcutaneous application of small electrical stimuli to the brain to produce generalized seizures for the treatment of selected psychiatric disorders such as severe depression. The aim of ECT is to induce a therapeutic tonic seizure where the person loses consciousness and has convulsions. Patients need general anesthesia and neuromuscular blockade to treat pain and avoid excessive tonic clonic motor contraction that might be associated with compression fractures. Neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBD) are, therefore, administered after induction of general anesthesia to induce neuromuscular blockade. Despite the importance of NMBDs to provide optimal conditions for ECT treatment, the optimal NMBD dose to achieve acceptable neuromuscular blockade without excessive or untoward effects has not previously been identified in any study and in a prospective randomized fashion. The aim of this study is, therefore, to identify the optimal NMBD dose of two commonly used neuromuscular blocking agents (succinylcholine and rocuronium) in order to optimize the muscle strength modulation during ECT that facilitates ECT with the minimal side effects.

Conditions

  • Neuromuscular Blockade
  • ECT

Interventions

DRUG

Succinylcholine

Succinylcholine will be given during the series of ECT treatments. The initial dose will be defined by the anesthesiologist in charge for clinical care. The Dixon's up and down method will be used in consecutive treatments. The investigators will switch to the second compound as soon as the patient has received one neuromuscular blocking agent dose that resulted in 'acceptable muscle relaxation', and another dose that resulted in 'unacceptable' conditions'.

DRUG

Rocuronium

Rocuronium will be given during the series of ECT treatments. The initial dose will be defined by the anesthesiologist in charge for clinical care. The Dixon's up and down method will be used in consecutive treatments.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Matthias Eikermann, MD, PhD · Massachusetts General Hospital

  • Ala Nozari, MD, PhD · Massachusetts General Hospital

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2011-05-31
Primary Completion
2013-07-31
Completion
2015-02-28

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01441960 on ClinicalTrials.gov