Skip to content

Comparative Effect of Intravenous Ketamine and Electroconvulsive Therapy in Major Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

G. Kheirabadi, M. Vafaie, Dorna Kheirabadi, Zahra Mirlouhi, Rasam Hajiannasab

Advanced Biomedical Research April 10, 2019 DOI: 10.4103/abr.abr_166_18 (opens in new tab)

Read Full Text
Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 32
Population Adult patients with major depressive disorder who were candidates for ECT
Intervention Intravenous ketamine
Dose 0.5 mg/kg
Duration 3-month follow-up
Topics Depression Esketamine Ketamine
Key findings Intravenous ketamine and ECT produced comparable antidepressant effects, with ketamine showing a nonsignificant advantage in cognitive function.

Abstract

Background: Achieving a rapid onset and durable methods of treatment for major depressive disorders is an issue pursuing in psychiatry. This study was designed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of intravenous (IV) ketamine injection in controlling depressive symptoms in comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in major depressed disordered patients.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-two patients over 18 years of age who were candidates for ECT were enrolled in the study. They were allocated into two groups using block design randomization. Sixteen patients received IV infusion of 0.5-mg/kg ketamine and 16 patients underwent a bitemporal ECT. To evaluate the changes in depression severity, researchers administered Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at baseline, before each treatment session, and four time points posttreatment (week 1 and months 1, 2, and 3). The Wechsler Memory Scale was used to evaluate the cognitive state of patients in week 1, month 1, and month 3 of the treatment.

Results: The HDRS showed improvement in depressive symptoms in both the groups with no statistically significant difference. Cognitive state was more favorable (but not significant) in the ketamine group (P > 0.5).

Conclusion: Treatment with IV ketamine in depressed people has the same antidepressant effects as ECT treatment without any memory deficiency.

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

Related reading

Explore topics

Depression Esketamine Ketamine

By condition and practice

Ketamine for depression