Actively Recruiting
Clonidine to Prevent Delirium After Electroconvulsive Therapy.
Led by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern · Updated on 2025-08-06
130
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
274 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
I
Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
Lead Sponsor
U
University of Bern
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for some psychiatric disorders like major depressive or bipolar disorder, but may lead to agitation and delirium after the procedure in up to 65% of patients. This can have negative side effects and be dangerous for patient and attending staff. Clonidine, a central-acting alpha2-receptor agonist, is an approved antihypertensive medication with known sedative side effects. Clonidine's newer but more expensive successor, dexmedetomidine, has recently shown its potential to reduce this kind of delirium. The investigators therefore hypothesise that pre-treatment with 2 mcg/kg clonidine prior to electroconvulsive therapy will significantly reduce the incidence of postictal delirium. This potentially makes a highly efficient treatment for patients with otherwise refractory psychiatric illness safer and more accessible.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Clonidine to Prevent Delirium After Electroconvulsive Therapy.
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Aged 18 and older
- Scheduled for an elective series of ambulatory ECT sessions at the University Hospital Bern
- Able to provide informed consent by signing the consent form
You will not qualify if you...
- Known allergy or hypersensitivity to clonidine or contraindications like hypotension, bradycardia, or high-grade atrioventricular block
- Regular use of clonidine for other reasons
- Undergoing emergency ECT
- Unable to give informed consent or requiring next-of-kin consent
- Unable to follow study procedures due to language barriers or other reasons
- Previously enrolled in this study
- Participation in another investigational drug study within 30 days before or during this study
- Investigator, family members, employees, or dependents involved in the study
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Planning pregnancy during the study
- Female participants of childbearing potential not using reliable contraception during the study and 4 weeks after
- Female participants who are not surgically sterilized, not post-menopausal for more than 2 years, and not using reliable contraception
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern
Bern, Switzerland, 3010
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
C
Christian M Beilstein, MD
CONTACT
P
Patrick Y Wüthrich, Prof, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
PREVENTION
Number of Arms
2
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