An evaluation of the efficacy and side effects of a single dose of ketamine in major depressive disorder.
Betül Uyar, Mehmet Güneş
Postgraduate Medical Journal October 14, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/postmj/qgae142 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 120 |
| Population | Major depressive disorder patients |
| Intervention | Ketamine infusion |
| Dose | single-dose |
| Duration | 24 hours |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Single dose Suicide Depression treatment Ketamine therapy Rapid antidepressant Mental health breakthrough Clinical research |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Single-dose ketamine infusion significantly reduced depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation at 4 and 24 hours post-treatment in patients with unipolar major depressive disorder. |
Abstract
This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the antidepressant and antisuicidal efficacy of ketamine in patients with unipolar depression, with a focus on the clinical evidence and safety profile. In our study, the data of 120 major depressive disorder patients who received single-dose ketamine infusion therapy were evaluated retrospectively, with Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) applied by the clinician before treatment and at the 4th and 24th hours after treatment and side effects at 4 and 24 hours after treatment. There was a statistically significant difference between MADRS and MADRS-Suicide scores of all participants before the ketamine infusion (0th hour) and at the 4th and 24th hours after the ketamine infusion. Also, male and female, RAT(+) and RAT(-), and SA(+) and SA(-) participants have statistically significant differences on all three times for both MADRS and MADRS-S scores. The findings of this study are in line with those from previous research that demonstrated the rapid and robust antidepressant effects of ketamine, even in individuals with severe, treatment-resistant depression. Moreover, the observed reduction in suicidal ideation is particularly noteworthy, given the critical need for interventions that can provide rapid relief in acute suicidal crises. Key message What is already known on this topic - Ketamine is known for its rapid antidepressant and antisuicidal effects in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, demonstrating significant symptom relief within hours of administration. What this study adds - This study provides additional evidence supporting ketamine's rapid efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, highlighting statistically significant improvements observed at 4 and 24 hours post-treatment. How this study might affect research, practice, or policy - The findings may encourage broader clinical adoption of ketamine for acute depressive episodes and suicidality, emphasizing the need for controlled medical settings to manage potential side effects, and could influence future research on optimizing dosing protocols and long-term safety.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
| Altered peripheral immune profiles in treatment-resistant depression: response to ketamine and prediction of treatment outcome Healthy controls and actively depressed patients with treatment-resistant depression... | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 59 |
| Clinical Predictors of Ketamine Response in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Treatment-resistant inpatients with DSM-IV-TR-diagnosed major depressive disorder or... | 2014 | Post hoc analysis of pooled data from four studies | n = 108 |
| An investigation of amino-acid neurotransmitters as potential predictors of clinical improvement to ketamine in depression Drug-free patients with major depressive disorder | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
| Efficacy of ketamine therapy in the treatment of depression Drug-free/naïve men with severe depression, no history of psychotic disorder, head... | 2019 | Observational cohort | n = 25 |