Long-Term Effects of Single and Repeated Ketamine Infusions on Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Retrospective Chart Review Study

Summary & key facts

This study looked back at medical records for about 14 people with depression that did not get better with usual treatments. Nine people had one high-dose ketamine infusion and five people had six high-dose infusions given into a vein. Researchers compared a standard depression questionnaire from before treatment to the same questionnaire 30 days after the infusion(s). Scores suggested that depressive symptoms were lower a month later, which means ketamine might have a lasting benefit for some people with hard-to-treat depression. The study was small and used past records, so the results are only preliminary and do not prove ketamine works for everyone.

Key facts:

• The researchers reviewed records for about 14 people with treatment-resistant depression.
• Nine people received a single ketamine infusion and five people received six ketamine infusions.
• Each infusion was a relatively high dose, given at about 1 mg per kilogram of body weight into a vein.
• Depression symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory, a common questionnaire about mood, before treatment and again 30 days after treatment.
• On average, scores on the depression questionnaire were lower 30 days after the infusion(s), suggesting symptom improvements lasted at least a month for this group.
• Because this was a retrospective chart review with a very small number of people and no control group, the study cannot prove ketamine caused the improvements.
• The study adds preliminary evidence that single or repeated high-dose ketamine infusions might be an additional option to study for people whose depression has not improved with other treatments.

Abstract

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a substantial public health burden with limited treatment options. Recent evidence suggests that single and repeated-dose ketamine infusions have rapid and significant antidepressant effects on individuals with TRD. Few studies have compared single or repeated (6) ketamine infusions past 14 days post-treatment. This retrospective chart review study investigated the long-term effects of single (n = 9) and repeated (6) (n = 5) high-dose (1 mg/kg) intravenous ketamine infusions on TRD 30 days post-infusion(s) (N = 14). Changes in depressive symptoms were measured by comparing Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) scores pre- and 30 days post-treatment for an understanding of long-term efficacy in clinical practice. Results indicated that ketamine has the potential to be an effective and enduring intervention for TRD, adding treatment and management options that are currently limited.

Topics

Stress Responses and Cortisol Treatment of Major Depression Tryptophan and brain disorders

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Anesthesia Antidepressant Anxiety Chart Depression (economics) Economics Internal medicine Ketamine Macroeconomics Mathematics Medicine Physics Psychiatry Quantum mechanics Retrospective cohort study Statistics Term (time) Treatment-resistant depression

Substances

Ketamine

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Sadness or low mood