S-ketamine as an adjuvant in patient-controlled intravenous analgesia for preventing postpartum depression: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common complication of cesarean section. S-ketamine given intravenously during surgery can help prevent PPD. However, whether S-ketamine in patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) can reduce the incidence of PPD is unknown. This study assessed the effect of S-ketamine as an adjuvant in PCIA for preventing PPD in women undergoing cesarean delivery.

Methods: A total of 375 parturients scheduled to undergo cesarean section and then receive PCIA were recruited from a single center and were randomly assigned to control (C) group (sufentanil 2 μg/kg + tropisetron 10 mg) or S-ketamine (S) group (S-ketamine 0.5 mg/kg + sufentanil 2 μg/kg + tropisetron 10 mg). The primary outcome was the incidence of PPD measured by the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) after surgery. The secondary outcomes were EPDS scores, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) scores, and the rate of adverse events, including headache, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, and vomit.

Results: A total of 275 puerperal women were included in the study. The rate of depression in parturient on postoperative days 3, 14, 28 in the C group and S group were 17.6 and 8.2% ( p < 0.05), 24.2 and 9.8% (p < 0.05), and 19.0 and 17.2% ( p = 0.76) respectively. EPDS scores in the C group and S group on postoperative days 3,14, and 28 were 7.65 ± 3.14 and 6.00 ± 2.47 (p < 0.05), 7.62 ± 3.14 and 6.38 ± 2.67 (p < 0.05), and 7.35 ± 3.17 and 6.90 ± 2.78 ( p = 0.15), respectively. The rate of adverse events in the C group and S group were headache 3.3 and 4.1% ( p = 0.755), nausea 5.9 and 8.2% ( p = 0.481), dizziness 9.2 and 12.3% ( p = 0.434), drowsiness 6.5 and 10.7%( p = 0.274), and vomit 5.9 and 5.7% ( p = 0.585).

Conclusions: S-ketamine (0.01 mg/kg/h) as an adjuvant in PCIA significantly reduces the incidence of PPD within 14 days and relieves pain within 48 h after cesarean delivery, without increasing the rate of adverse reactions. Trial registration Registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( ChiCTR2100050263 ) on August 24, 2021.