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.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subanesthetic Effects of the Noncompetitive NMDA Antagonist, Ketamine, in Humans Healthy human subjects recruited from the community | 1994 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 19 |
| 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 |
| Remifentanil-induced Postoperative Hyperalgesia and Its Prevention with Small-dose Ketamine Patients undergoing major abdominal surgery | 2005 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 75 |
| Efficacy of Intravenous Ketamine for Treatment of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Patients with chronic PTSD related to a range of trauma exposures | 2014 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Ketamine-Induced Deficits in Auditory and Visual Context-Dependent Processing in Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers | 2000 | Single-blind placebo-controlled study | n = 20 |
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Rapid Resolution of Suicidal Ideation After a Single Infusion of anN-Methyl-D-Aspartate Antagonist in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry July 13, 2010
- EFFECTS OF KETAMINE ON EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT SUICIDAL COGNITION: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IN TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION Depression and Anxiety March 25, 2014
- Riluzole for relapse prevention following intravenous ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: a pilot randomized, placebo-controlled continuation trial The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology March 17, 2009
- A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Pilot Trial of the Oral Selective NR2B Antagonist MK-0657 in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology June 20, 2012
- Intravenous ketamine therapy in a patient with a treatment-resistant major depression Swiss Medical Weekly April 21, 2007
and 6 more in the library