The Determination of the Duration of ElectroconvulsiveTherapy-Induced Seizure Using Local Standard Deviationof the Electroencephalogram Signal and the Changesof the RR Interval of Electrocardiogram

ABSTRACT

Objectives@#ZZIn electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) research and practice, the precise determination of seizure duration is importantin the evaluation of clinical relevance of the ECT-induced seizure. In this study, we have developed computerized algorithms to assessthe duration of ECT-induced seizure. @*Methods@#ZZSubjects included 5 males and 6 females, with the mean age of 33.1 years. Total 55 ECT sessions were included in theanalysis. We analyzed the standard deviation of a finite block of electroencephalography (EEG) data and the change in the local slope ofRR intervals in electrocardiography (ECG) signals during ECT-induced seizure. And then, we compared the calculated seizure durationsfrom EEG recording (EEG algorithm) and ECG recording (ECG algorithm) with values determined by consensus of clinicians basedon the recorded EEG (EEG consensus), as a gold standard criterion, in order to testify the computational validity of our algorithms. @*Results@#ZZThe mean seizure durations calculated by each method were not significantly different in sessions with abrupt flattenedpostictal suppression and in sessions with non-abrupt flattened postictal suppression. The intraclass correlation coefficients (95% confidenceinterval) of the three methods (EEG algorithm, ECG algorithm, EEG consensus) were significant in the total sessions [0.79(0.70–0.86)], the abrupt flattened postictal suppression sessions [0.84 (0.74–0.91)], and the non-abrupt flattened postictal suppressionsessions [0.67 (0.45–0.84)]. Correlations between three methods were also statistically significant, regardless of abruptness of transition. @*Conclusions@#ZZOur proposed algorithms could reliably measure the duration of ECT-induced seizure, even in sessions with nonabrupttransitions to flat postictal suppression, in which it is typically difficult to determine the seizure duration.