ECT Not Proven for Atypical Depression

Letter to the Editor

Sir: Data might speak for themselves, but the interpretation
of Husain and colleagues that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
treats atypical depression is not justified. Here is a restatement
of the conclusions that is more consistent with the methods and
measurements:

Patients with atypical depression subjectively felt better in
the hospital 24 to 48 hours after completing a course of bitemporal
ECT. It was unknown how the patients felt after
returning home