BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and subanesthetic intravenous ketamine are both currently used for treatment-resistant major depression, but the comparative effectiveness of the two treatments remains uncertain. METHODS We conducted an open-label, randomized, noninferiority trial involving patients referred to ECT clinics for treatment-resistant major depression. Patients with...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common mental illness and the leading cause of disability worldwide. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for MDD and the gold-standard therapy for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), yet it remains underutilized due to factors such as limited availability, stigma, and concerns about cognitive side effects. Ketamine has...
Ms. M is a 42-year-old Caucasian married woman with a history of chronic left gluteal and left leg pain diagnosed as reflex sympathetic dystrophy. She was disabled by refractory symptoms that had failed a number of interventions and required high-dose opioids. Ms. M was otherwise high functioning and had completed a professional degree. The patient elected to undergo experimental IV ketamine...