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Use of repeated intravenous ketamine therapy in treatment-resistant bipolar depression with suicidal behaviour: a case report from Spain.

Álvaro López-díaz, José Luis Fernández-gonzález, José Evaristo Luján-jiménez, Sara Galiano-Rus, Luis Gutiérrez-Rojas

Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology April 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/2045125316675578 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case report Peer reviewed
Sample size 1
Population Female patient with treatment-resistant depressive bipolar episode and chronic suicidal behavior
Intervention Intravenous ketamine infusions
Topics Depression Ketamine Esketamine
Keywords Antidepressive agents Bipolar disorder Suicide
Citations 27
Key findings Ketamine infusions led to complete clinical recovery for four weeks, but depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior returned in the fifth week.

Abstract

The rapidly-acting antidepressant properties of ketamine are a trend topic in psychiatry. Despite its robust effects, these are ephemeral and can lead to certain adverse events. For this reason, there is still a general concern around the off-label use of ketamine in clinical practice settings. Nonetheless, for refractory depression, it should be an indication to consider. We report the case of a female patient admitted for several months due to a treatment-resistant depressive bipolar episode with chronic suicidal behaviour. After repeated intravenous ketamine infusions without remarkable side effects, the patient experienced a complete clinical recovery during the 4 weeks following hospital discharge. Unfortunately, depressive symptoms reappeared in the 5th week, and the patient was finally readmitted to hospital as a result of a suicide attempt.

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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