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Ketamine cystitis following ketamine therapy for treatment-resistant depression – case report

Minna Chang, Mario F Juruena, Allan H. Young

BMC Psychiatry January 2, 2024 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05468-3 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case study Case report Peer reviewed
Sample size 1
Population 28-year-old female with treatment-resistant depression receiving ketamine therapy
Intervention Ketamine
Topics Depression Esketamine Ketamine
Citations 16
Key findings This is the first reported case of ketamine-induced cystitis in a patient receiving treatment-dose ketamine for depression.

Abstract

Abstract Background Ketamine is a novel and exciting putative antidepressant medication for patients with treatment-resistant depression. A complication commonly seen in frequent and heavy recreational use of ketamine is ulcerative cystitis, which presents with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and upper renal tract damage and can be seen in over 25% of regular users. Although Ketamine-induced cystitis (KIC) is a recognised complication in recreational use of ketamine, its occurrence in therapeutic use of ketamine in depression has so far not been reported. The exact pathogenesis of KIC is currently unknown, making treatment and prevention advice much more difficult. Early diagnosis of KIC and immediate cessation of ketamine has been shown to improve adverse urinary tract symptoms and prevent further damage. Case presentation We present a case of a 28-year-old female who was started on ketamine treatment for depression, and who then developed symptoms of KIC, which was confirmed by urine microscopy, culture and analysis. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of KIC in a patient receiving treatment-dose ketamine as part of their antidepressant therapy.

Comparable studies

Other case reports and case series on ketamine for depression, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Electroconvulsive Therapy, Ketamine, and Esketamine in a Patient with Major Depressive Disorder and Multiple Comorbidities: A Case Report over 10-year Treatment from Adolescence to Adulthood. A patient with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid generalized anxiety... 2025 Case report n = 1
Oral Administration of the NMDA Receptor Antagonist S-Ketamine as Add-On Therapy of Depression: A Case Series Four depressed patients taking standard antidepressants 2009 Case series n = 4
A longitudinal case series of IM ketamine for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders and comorbid treatment‐resistant depression Patients with enduring eating disorders and treatment-resistant depression 2021 Case series n = 4
Effects of intranasal (S)-ketamine on Veterans with co-morbid treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: A retrospective case series Veterans with co-morbid depression and PTSD 2022 Retrospective case series n = 35
Case report: Intramuscular ketamine or intranasal esketamine as a treatment in four patients with major depressive disorder and comorbid anorexia nervosa Patients with anorexia nervosa and a comorbid depressive disorder treated at a private... 2023 Case report n = 4

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