Spontaneous seizures after ECT in a patient medicated with bupropion, sertraline and risperidone

Abstract

Objective: To report a case of post-electroconvulsive therapy spontaneous seizures in a patient medicated with sertraline, bupropion and risperidone. Case description: A 53-year-old woman with recurrent major depression was admitted to our psychiatry department for a major depressive episode of 6 weeks' duration, with psychotic symptoms. She was already on 200 mg/day of sertraline and 2 mg/day of risperidone. After 8 weeks on 200 mg/day of sertraline, 4 mg/day of risperidone and slow release bupropion (titrated to 300 mg/day), with no objective improvements, the decision was taken to initiate a course of 8-10 electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) sessions. Two days after the first treatment, three generalized tonic-clonic seizures occurred within 6 hours. Phenytoin and sodium valproate were added to the patient's daily medication and no further spontaneous seizures were observed. After neurologic assessment and discussion of the case, phenytoin and bupropion were withdrawn at once (two days after the spontaneous seizures) and the decision was taken to resume the ECT treatment. No further spontaneous seizures occurred and, at discharge, the patient exhibited significant improvements and was free from major depressive symptoms. Comments: This report illustrates a case of post-ECT spontaneous seizures that might have been due to a specific pharmacological etiological pathway, namely, bupropion's proconvulsive properties, although both sertraline and risperidone also lower the convulsive threshold. Keywords: Electroconvulsive therapy, spontaneous seizures, major depressive disorder, bupropion, sertraline, risperidone. ResumoObjetivo: Descrever o caso de uma paciente medicada com sertralina, bupropiona e risperidona que apresentou três crises tônico-clônico generalizadas espontâneas após eletroconvulsoterapia (ECT). Descrição do caso: Uma mulher de 53 anos com antecedentes de perturbação depressiva maior recorrente foi internada em nosso serviço devido a novo episódio depressivo maior com sintomas psicóticos e 6 semanas de evolução. Ela já estava medicada com 200 mg/dia de sertralina e 2 mg/dia de risperidona. Após 8 semanas usando 200 mg/dia de sertralina, 4 mg/dia de risperidona e bupropiona de liberação lenta (titulada até 300 mg/dia), sem melhoras objetivas, decidiu-se iniciar 8-10 sessões de ECT. Dois dias após a primeira sessão, ocorreram três crises tônico-clônico generalizadas num espaço de 6 horas. Foram introduzidos fenitoína e valproato de sódio no esquema terapêutico da paciente, e não ocorreram mais crises. Após avaliação neurológica e discussão do caso, optou--se por suspender a fenitoína e a bupropiona (2 dias após as crises espontâneas) e retomar a ECT. No restante do tratamento não ocorreram mais crises convulsivas espontâneas e, até data da alta, a paciente apresentava melhorias significativas e estava livre de transtorno depressivo maior. Comentários: Este relato ilustra a ocorrência de crises convulsivas espontâneas após a ECT, as quais parecem ter sido causadas por mecanismos farmacológicos eti...

Tardive Seizures After Electroconvulsive Therapy

“…1). 7,13,17–45 In 4 cases, there were multiple tardive seizure episodes during further ECT sessions in the same course of treatment. Quality of studies was considered moderate, with all but 2 scoring 5 or higher, out of a possible total of 8, in the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool (Supplementary data, Supplemental Digital Content, http://links.lww.com/JECT/A144).…”