Fall in Plasma Protein Level Associated With Rapid Gain in Weight During Course of Electroshock Therapy

Altschule, Mark D.; Cline, Jason E.; Tillotson, Kenneth J.

doi:10.1001/archneurpsyc.1948.02300390033004

Cited by 16 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Altschule et al (1) reported that after undergoing electric shock treatment, those patients who showed a gain in weight and a drop in plasma proteins evidenced a clinical improvement, and that those who did not show a gain in weight and a drop in plasma proteins evidenced no such clinical improvement. These results could not be corroborated by our study.…”

Section: November-december 1949mentioning

confidence: 99%

Serum Protein Fractionation Studies on Schizophrenics

Gottfried¹

1949

Psychosomatic Medicine

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Section: November-december 1949mentioning

confidence: 99%

Serum Protein Fractionation Studies on Schizophrenics

Gottfried¹

1949

Psychosomatic Medicine

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Extracellular Fluid and Plasma Volumes in Depressed Patients Given Electric Shock Therapy

Altschule¹

1949

Arch NeurPsych

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IT HAS LONG been known that patients with depressions usually exhibit rapid gain in weight in association with, or preceding the onset of, spontaneous remissions. A similar gain in weight is usually noted in patients who improve during the course of electroconvulsion therapy, although in some of them a small initial loss is not uncommon. In patients who show a rapid gain in weight in association with electroshock, the increase usually amounts to 3 to 5 pounds (1.3 to 2.3 Kg.) accumulated over a period of three or four days. At times larger increases may occur; in an extreme instance seen at this hospital a patient gained 14 pounds (6.4 Kg.) in seventy-two hours. Occasionally edema of the ankles may be noted. The rapidity of the gain and the occasional appearance of edema made it clear that much of the gain must be consequent to water retention. Accordingly, it was considered desirable to undertake the present study. MATERIAL AND METHODSTwelve depressed patients, ranging in age from 36 to 72 years, were studied; 9 were women. The diagnosis indicated in the table varied. All studies were made with the patient in a basal state one to three days after the last treatment. The patients were weighed on the day of each study. Complete studies were made in 9 cases, while in 3 only the extracellular fluid volume was measured. The following procedure was used: (1) Ten cubic centimeters of blood was taken. The serum served as the blank for the thiocyanate determination. The needle was left in place, and (2) IS cc. of a solution containing 512 mg. of sodium thiocyanate was injected intravenously. (3) Fifteen cubic centimeters of blood was taken ninety minutes later. The serum was divided into two portions, one for determination of thiocyanate and the other to serve as a blank for the estimation of plasma volume. The needle was left in place and (4) 10 cc. of 1824 solution (Evans blue) was injected intravenously; a stopwatch was started at this time. (5) Ten cubic centimeters of blood was taken ten or fifteen

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