New Findings from Radboud University Nijmegen in the Area of Personalized Medicine Reported (A Global Delphi-Based Expert Consensus on Relapse Prevention Strategies Following Successful Electroconvulsive Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder).

This article focuses on a global expert consensus study from Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands, addressing relapse prevention strategies following successful electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for major depressive disorder. The study used a Delphi method with 18 international ECT experts to identify effective relapse prevention approaches, endorsing pharmacotherapy with lithium and antidepressants for all patients and continuation ECT with tapering for high-risk cases. Psychotherapy was recommended as an adjunctive treatment, while no consensus was reached on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, esketamine, or optimal treatment duration beyond six months. The research highlights the need for personalized relapse prevention based on clinical risk factors and calls for further empirical studies to refine guidelines and improve long-term outcomes. [Extracted from the article]