Background: This review is aimed to analize meta-analyses relating ECT in order to evaluate efficacy and safety of this tool compared to sham ECT, placebo as well as psychopharmacology.
Methods: Systematic reviews cited in PubMed, using specific subsets.
Results: The meta-analyses agree in outstanding the clinical effectiveness of ECT compared to other kinds of therapy. The main conclusion of the present work, which is related to the safety of this tool would like to reduce the warnings about ECT. These conclusions at present still lack of good quality evidence.
Discussion: ECT nowadays is still a tool lacking of quality evidence, but it looks of relevant effectiveness and safety. Because of this, ECT as a technique should get more attention in clinical research and moreover in clinical practice.