The Effect of Intravenous Ketamine on Suicidal Ideation in Depressed Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Farah Moayedi, Ali Massoudifar, Sholeh Namazi, Hossein Mirzaei Zadeh, Seyed Hamzeh Seddigh, Saeed Hosseini Teshnizi
Disease and Diagnosis December 7, 2022 DOI: 10.34172/ddj.2023.437 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized double-blind clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Patients with major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation at Ibn Sina Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran, during 2016-2017 |
| Interventions | Ketamine Normal saline |
| Dose | 0.5 mg/kg of intravenous (IV) KET diluted in 500 mL of normal saline over 30 minutes |
| Duration | 24 hours after the intervention |
| Measures | suicidal ideation score (SSI) |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Ketamine reduced suicidal ideation scores to 2.53 at 24 hours versus 20.6 with saline, a significant reduction (P<0.001). The authors conclude ketamine may play a key role in treating severe, life-threatening depressive disorders requiring immediate intervention. |
Abstract
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) generally occurs together with depression in patients with no history of manic, mixed, or hypomanic episodes. The suicidal ideation in MDD patients is very common and can potentially be considered an emergency circumstance in many cases. Among the developed drugs and medicines, ketamine (KET) is a potential option to treat patients with MDD. This study aims at investigating the effect of KET on the treatment of suicidal ideation and the reduction of the intensity of symptoms in patients suffering from MDD.
Materials and Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial was performed on 30 patients who suffered from MDD and had suicidal ideation at Ibn Sina Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran, during 2016-2017. The patients were divided into two groups: the KET group which received 0.5 mg/kg of intravenous (IV) KET diluted in 500 mL of normal saline over 30 minutes and the control group which received 500 mL of normal saline without KET over 30 minutes.
Results: According to the statistical analysis, 24 hours after the intervention, suicidal ideation score reached 2.53 and 20.6 in the KET and control groups, respectively. In fact, KET caused a significant reduction in the score of the suicidal ideation (SSI) (SSI<4) in comparison with the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: It was observed that KET can play a key role in the treatment of depression disorders, especially severe and life-threatening forms that require immediate intervention, such as the use of electroconvulsive therapy.