Prolactin changes during electroconvulsive therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Early studies reported a prolactin surge during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The aim of this study is to review and meta-analyze data on ECT-related prolactin changes. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted for trials investigating prolactin changes in ECT-treated patients using standard mean differences (SMD, 95% confidence intervals). Subgroup analyses included comparisons of ECT-related prolactin changes in women vs. men, patients receiving different anesthetics, bilateral vs. unilateral and high-vs. low-dose ECT. In six trials including 109 ECT-treated patients and 74 controls, prolactin changes were larger in ECT-treated patients than in controls (SMD = 0.89, 95%CI = 0.55, 1.23, p < 0.001 and 1.03, 95%CI = 0.31, 1.75, p = 0.005 for the fixed and random-effect model respectively), despite heterogeneity in the samples (I Patients receiving ECT had larger prolactin increases than controls. Increases were larger in methohexital-premedicated patients, women vs. men and patients with bilateral vs. unilateral ECT.

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