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Characteristics
Randomized controlled trial
Sample size
63
Population
Patients with depression
Interventions
Intravenous ketamine
Midazolam
Topics
Depression
Esketamine
Ketamine
Key findings
Serial intravenous ketamine was not significantly more effective than midazolam in reducing depressive symptoms or improving quality of life.
Abstract
A new randomized trial found serial intravenous ketamine was not significantly more effective than the active placebo midazolam in reducing depressive symptoms or improving quality of life. While the study may have been underpowered due to a small sample size (n=63), the improvement in MADRS scores fell short of the minimal clinically important difference. The study faced blinding failures, with 78% of patients and 90% of raters correctly identifying the ketamine group, suggesting results may have been influenced by unblinded expectations. Further research that effectively controls for non-specific effects is needed.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on
ketamine for depression , most cited first.
Study
Year
Design
Participants
Antidepressant Efficacy of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression: A Two-Site Randomized Controlled Trial
Patients with treatment-resistant major depression experiencing a major depressive episode
2013
Randomized controlled trial
n = 73
Efficacy and Safety of Flexibly Dosed Esketamine Nasal Spray Combined With a Newly Initiated Oral Antidepressant in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Active-Controlled Study
Adults with moderate to severe nonpsychotic depression and a history of nonresponse to...
2019
Phase 3, double-blind, active-controlled, multicenter randomized controlled trial
n = 227
Efficacy of Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus Oral Antidepressant Treatment for Relapse Prevention in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression
Adults with treatment-resistant depression who achieved stable remission or stable...
2019
Phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, randomized withdrawal study
n = 297
Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine Adjunctive to Oral Antidepressant Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression
Adults with DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of major depressive disorder and history of inadequate...
2017
Phase 2, double-blind, doubly randomized, delayed-start, placebo-controlled study
n = 67
Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine for the Rapid Reduction of Symptoms of Depression and Suicidality in Patients at Imminent Risk for Suicide: Results of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study
Depressed patients at imminent risk for suicide
2018
Randomized controlled trial
n = 68
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