Maintenance Intramuscular Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, a Retrospective Chart Review of Efficacy, Adverse Events, and Dropouts from a Community Practice.
Wesley C Ryan, Boris D. Heifets
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 22, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2421895 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 70 |
| Population | Patients receiving intramuscular ketamine with contemporaneous psychotherapy for depression in an addiction psychiatry practice |
| Interventions | Intramuscular ketamine Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy |
| Dose | 1.13 mg/kg mean dose |
| Duration | Sessions q21 days, at least six months maintenance; many remained for at least one year |
| Topics | Addiction Depression Ketamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy Esketamine |
| Keywords | Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy Maintenance Depression treatment Mental health therapy Psychedelic medicine Addiction research |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Maintenance ketamine-assisted psychotherapy produced a sustained response above 80% after six months, with most dropouts due to logistical reasons rather than side effects. |
Abstract
The use of ketamine and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) for treatment of depression has grown dramatically, though much of these data are short term. The clinical profile of maintenance treatment remains poorly characterized. We assessed maintenance KAP for efficacy, tolerability, and reasons for dropout. This observational study retrospectively analyzed electronic health records from an addiction psychiatry practice offering intramuscular ketamine with contemporaneous psychotherapy for the treatment of depression. All patients receiving treatment between January 2016 and September 2022 were included, yielding 1,114 sessions from 70 patients. The response was quantified via the clinical global impression-severity scale. Side effects and reasons for dropout were extracted from charts. Comorbidities include an anxiety disorder (79%) or substance use disorder (49%). The induction yielded 82% response, maintained above 80% after six months (sessions q21 days, 1.13 mg/kg mean dose). Many (38%) remained in treatment for at least one year. Nausea management accounted for nearly all as-needed medication use. Antihypertensives were seldom utilized. Chronic side effects were notable for one case of ketamine use disorder, resulting in residential treatment. Dropouts cited logistical reasons half the time and side effects only 9.7% of the time. KAP yielded robust improvements in mood, anxiety, and substance use. Maintenance sessions effectively extended benefit and were largely well tolerated.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Evaluating the abuse liability of ketamine in the treatment of mood disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Psychopharmacology June 24, 2026
- Neurological effects of ketamine: mechanisms, addiction potential, and toxicity profiles with focus on Saudi Arabia International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health July 17, 2025
Cites 32
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- Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation American Journal of Psychiatry March 17, 2021
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- Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Ranging Trial of Intravenous Ketamine as Adjunctive Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) Molecular Psychiatry October 3, 2018
and 27 more in the library