Safety, effectiveness and tolerability of sublingual ketamine in depression and anxiety: A retrospective study of off-label, at-home use
K. Hassan, W. Struthers, Aditya Sankarabhotla, Patrick Davis
Frontiers in Psychiatry September 28, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.992624 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Measures | GAD-7, PHQ-9 |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Citations | 25 |
| Key findings | Sublingual ketamine tablets significantly reduce depression and anxiety scores in treatment-resistant patients, with greater improvement after six doses than after three. |
Abstract
Intravenous and intranasal ketamine have been shown to be effective therapeutic options in patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The use of sublingual (SL), rapid dissolve ketamine tablets (RDT) offers a novel approach for delivery for mental health indications. This study assessed the effectiveness and safety of self-administration of off-label, SL, rapid dissolve ketamine tablets (RDT) at-home for depression and anxiety. Intake scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were compared to scores after treatments of three doses of ketamine RDT, and after six doses of ketamine RDT. After three doses of SL ketamine, 47.6% of patients showed a significant decrease in PHQ-9 scores, and 47.6% of patients showed a significant reduction in GAD-7 scores. Reduction rates were higher in those patients who completed a clinically recommended six doses of RDT ketamine. This study demonstrates that SL ketamine is a novel, safe, and effective treatment for TRD and treatment-resistant anxiety. SL ketamine offers an alternative therapeutic approach to IV ketamine when treating those with TRD.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine for anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 24
- Oral ketamine for depression: An updated systematic review The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry January 18, 2023
- Ketamine and its two enantiomers in anesthesiology and psychiatry: A historical review and future directions Journal of Anesthesia and Translational Medicine July 11, 2024
- The Montreal model: an integrative biomedical-psychedelic approach to ketamine for severe treatment-resistant depression Frontiers in Psychiatry September 19, 2023
- Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in adolescents with multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023
- Use of ketamine for treatment resistant depression: updated review of literature and practical applications to a community ketamine program in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023
and 19 more in the library
Cites 22
- Side-effects associated with ketamine use in depression: a systematic review. The Lancet Psychiatry 2018
- Ketamine: a paradigm shift for depression research and treatment Neuron March 1, 2019
- Single, Repeated, and Maintenance Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry March 29, 2019
- Comparative efficacy of racemic ketamine and esketamine for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis Journal of Affective Disorders September 23, 2020
- A Phase 2 Open Label Study of Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of SLS-002 (Intranasal Racemic Ketamine) in Adults with MDD at Imminent Risk of Suicide. Psychopharmacology Bulletin March 4, 2024
and 17 more in the library