Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of propofol on anesthetic effectiveness and cognitive functioning in schizophrenic patients undergoing convulsion-free modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 80 schizophrenia patients treated with MECT at the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 2021 to December 2023. Patients were divided into a control group (39 patients) receiving etomidate and an observation group (41 patients) receiving a combination of etomidate and propofol for general anesthesia induction. Parameters compared between the groups included systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)), time to spontaneous respiration recovery, wakefulness time, cognitive function (assessed by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised in China, WAIS-RC), symptom severity (measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, PANSS), and adverse reactions. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in SBP, DBP, HR, and SaO(2) between the groups over time, nor was there any interaction between group and time on these parameters (all P>0.05). However, the observation group showed significantly shorter times to spontaneous respiration recovery and wakefulness (both P<0.05). Post-treatment, the observation group also had higher WAIS-RC scores and lower PANSS scores, along with a reduced total incidence of adverse reactions (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Propofol for the induction of general anesthesia in MECT, enhances clinical anesthetic outcomes, diminishes the impact on cognitive functions, and reduces the incidence of adverse reactions, thereby suggesting its high safety and efficacy.