IV low dose ketamine infusions for treatment resistant depression: Results from a five-year study at a free public clinic in an academic hospital.
Gilmar Gutierrez, Melody J Y Kang, Gustavo Vazquez
Psychiatry Research May 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115865 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 71 |
| Population | Outpatients with major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression |
| Intervention | IV low-dose ketamine |
| Duration | Five years |
| Topics | Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Antidepressant effect Depressive symptoms Psychopharmacology Real-world clinical data Suicidal ideation Treatment response Depression treatment Ketamine therapy Mental health research Clinical psychiatry |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | Intravenous low-dose ketamine significantly reduced depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in patients with treatment-resistant depression, with over half responding to treatment and mild side effects in most cases. |
Abstract
Individuals with major depressive disorder and treatment resistant depression (MDD-TRD) have limited and sometimes poorly tolerated therapeutic options. Low dose ketamine has presented promising and potent antidepressant effects in this population. To support the existent literature, we conducted a longitudinal study examining five years of real-world clinical data on the use of IV low-dose ketamine alongside standard care for MDD-TRD outpatients. For this study we collected demographic information, clinical scale scores, side effects and dropout data. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, effect size using Cohen's D analysis, and multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) to determine the impact of sociodemographic variables. 71 outpatients (50.28 years old, SD: 14.26; female 74.65%) were included in the analysis. The results showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms and suicide ideation (SI) by treatment endpoint. 54.93% of patients responded to the treatment, 78.26% experienced transient and mild side effects, and 11.27% of dropped out of the treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that the demographic variables did not impact treatment effect or tolerability. The results of this study suggest that IV low dose ketamine treatment is effective, fast-acting, and well tolerated for the management of depressive symptoms and SI in patients with MDD-TRD in naturalistic clinical practice.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- IN Esketamine and IV Ketamine: Results of a multi-site observational study assessing the effectiveness and tolerability of two novel therapies for treatment-resistant depression. Psychiatry Research October 1, 2024
- Combining DNA methylation features and clinical characteristics predicts ketamine treatment response for PTSD. iScience January 16, 2026
- Investigating novel pharmacological strategies for treatment-resistant depression: focus on new mechanisms and approaches Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery January 31, 2025
- Interdisciplinary, Delphi-driven consensus guidelines on the use of intravenous ketamine infusions for depressive disorders from the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Practitioners (ASKP3). Journal of Affective Disorders May 16, 2026
- [Intravenous Subnarcotic Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Historical Development, Comparison with Esketamine Nasalspray, and Prospects]. Fortschritte der Neurologie · Psychiatrie June 8, 2026
and 8 more in the library
Cites 13
- 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
- Side-effects associated with ketamine use in depression: a systematic review. The Lancet Psychiatry 2018
- Single, Repeated, and Maintenance Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry March 29, 2019
- Real-world effectiveness of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review & meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research May 1, 2022
- The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Task Force Recommendations for the Use of Racemic Ketamine in Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Recommandations Du Groupe De Travail Du Réseau Canadien Pour Les Traitements De L’humeur Et De L’anxiété (Canmat) Concernant L’utilisation De La Kétamine Racémique Chez Les Adultes Souffrant De Trouble Dépressif Majeur The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry November 11, 2020
and 8 more in the library