AUTHOR=Yatomi Taisuke, Uchida Takahito, Takamiya Akihiro, Wada Masataka, Kudo Shun, Nakajima Kazuki, Nishida Hana, Yamagata Bun, Mimura Masaru, Hirano Jinichi TITLE=Impact of Sevoflurane and Thiopental Used Over the Course of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Propensity Score Matching Analysis JOURNAL=Frontiers in Human Neuroscience VOLUME=16 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2022.933622 DOI=10.3389/fnhum.2022.933622 ISSN=1662-5161 ABSTRACT=ObjectiveAlthough anesthetics play an important role in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), the clinical efficacy and seizure adequacy of sevoflurane in the course of ECT remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical efficacy and seizure adequacy of sevoflurane, compared with those of thiopental, in the course of ECT in patients with mood disorders.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review. Patients who underwent a course of ECT and received sevoflurane (n = 26) or thiopental (n = 26) were included. Factors associated with ECT and treatment outcomes were compared between the two groups using propensity score (PS) matching. Between-group differences were examined using an independent t-test for continuous variables and a χ2-test for categorical variables.ResultsPatients who received sevoflurane needed more stimulations (sevoflurane: 13.2 ± 4 times, thiopental: 10.0 ± 2.5 times, df = 51, p = 0.001) and sessions (sevoflurane: 10.0 ± 2.1 times, thiopental: 8.4 ± 2.1 times, df = 51, p = 0.01) and had more inadequate seizures (sevoflurane: 5 ± 3.9 times, thiopental: 2.7 ± 2.7 times, df = 51, p = 0.015). Remission and response rates were similar in both groups.ConclusionThe present findings indicate that sevoflurane should be used with caution in ECT and only when the clinical rationale is clear.