Esketamine Treatment Trajectory of Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression in the Mid and Long-Term Run: Data from REAL-ESK Study Group.
Current neuropharmacology January 1, 2025 Gianluca Rosso, Giacomo d'Andrea, Stefano Barlati et al. 23 citations
Among patients with treatment-resistant depression who continued esketamine nasal spray for at least six months, 76.2% responded or achieved remission. Of those who had not responded by six months, a subset improved by twelve months. Side effects occurred in 71.8% of patients at six months, decreasing to 42% at twelve months; the most common were sedation and dissociation. Only two patients stopped treatment due to tolerability issues. The findings suggest esketamine is effective and safe for mid- to long-term treatment, with a novel observation of late clinical response in some patients. Results require confirmation in larger samples and longer observation periods.