Benefit–Risk Assessment of Esketamine Nasal Spray vs. Placebo in Treatment‐Resistant Depression
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics August 29, 2020 Eva G. Katz, David Hough, Teodora Doherty et al. 35 citations
Adding esketamine nasal spray to an oral antidepressant improves outcomes for people with treatment-resistant depression. During the initial treatment phase, for every 100 patients, 5 to 21 more achieve remission and 14 to 17 more show a response compared to those receiving a placebo plus an antidepressant. In maintenance therapy, 19 to 32 fewer relapses occur with esketamine. Serious or severe side effects—mainly dissociation, vertigo, and dizziness—differ little between the groups. The findings indicate a favorable balance of benefits and risks for esketamine combined with an antidepressant.