Effectiveness of ketamine/esketamine in alleviating postoperative fatigue: a systematic review
Qijing Liu, Ying Liu, Qian Fu, Boxiong Gao, Chengying Ji, Jiayi Xie, Bo Yang, Jingyi Xie, Abdulrahman Khaled Alwesabi, Yatao Liu
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy November 12, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-025-02052-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Dosing Pharmacy Medline Sample size determination Randomized controlled trial Large sample Intensive care medicine Sample material Emergency medicine Clinical trial |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Ketamine/esketamine may alleviate postoperative fatigue, particularly after major abdominal surgeries, but the evidence is limited by heterogeneous study designs and small sample sizes. |
Abstract
Current evidence suggests that ketamine/esketamine may be effective in alleviating POF, particularly in major abdominal surgeries. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the heterogeneity in study designs, variations in fatigue assessment tools and time, and the limited sample sizes of the included studies. Future high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm these observations and establish the optimal dosing regimens.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on esketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Long-term safety of ketamine and esketamine in treatment of depression | 2022 | Review | |
| Ketamine, Esketamine, and Arketamine: Their Mechanisms of Action and Applications in the Treatment of Depression and Alleviation of Depressive Symptoms. | 2024 | Review | |
| The potential of ketamine for posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of clinical evidence. | 2023 | Review | |
| Variations in BDNF and Their Role in the Neurotrophic Antidepressant Mechanisms of Ketamine and Esketamine: A Review. Patients with depression | 2024 | Narrative review |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Effects of esketamine on postoperative fatigue syndrome in patients after laparoscopic resection of gastric carcinoma: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Anesthesiology May 24, 2024
- Esketamine alleviates LPS-induced depression-like behavior by activating Nrf2-mediated anti-inflammatory response in adolescent mice. Neuroscience February 16, 2025
- Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression - First FDA-Approved Antidepressant in a New Class. New England Journal of Medicine May 22, 2019