Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
February 1, 2023
Balwinder Singh, S. Kung, Vanessa K. Pazdernik et al.
64 citations
In adults with treatment-resistant depression, intravenous (IV) ketamine and intranasal (IN) esketamine produced similar rates of symptom improvement and remission, but remission was reached in fewer treatment sessions with IV ketamine. Over up to six IV or eight IN treatments, depressive symptoms were measured before and 24 hours after each session. Among 62 participants (median age 50, 65% female), neither the change in symptom scores nor the proportion achieving response or remission differed significantly between groups. However, time to remission—adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and baseline severity—was five times faster with IV ketamine than with IN esketamine. A randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these results.
Pharmaceuticals
August 1, 2023
B. Joseph, N. Nuñez, S. Kung et al.
14 citations
For adults with treatment-resistant depression, taking lamotrigine alongside intravenous ketamine or intranasal esketamine does not significantly reduce the antidepressant effect of the treatments. In a historical cohort study, response and remission rates were similar whether patients were on lamotrigine or not. There was a trend toward lower dissociation scores among those taking lamotrigine, especially with IV ketamine. The study was limited by only 13 patients on lamotrigine, so the evidence is insufficient to conclude that lamotrigine attenuates the antidepressant effect, but it may reduce dissociation.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
September 17, 2025
Liliana Patarroyo-Rodriguez, Vanessa K. Pazdernik, Jennifer L. Vande Voort et al.
1 citation
Ketamine and esketamine reduced long-term emergency department visits for suicidality among individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Further research with longer follow-up is needed to determine whether these benefits depend on mood state or reflect an independent mechanism.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
May 22, 2026
Liliana Patarroyo-Rodriguez, Vanessa K. Pazdernik, Jennifer L. Vande Voort et al.
Among people with treatment-resistant depression, early changes in suicidal ideation after ketamine or esketamine treatment are linked to later emergency department visits for suicidality. The analysis indicates that reductions in suicidal thoughts during the first few weeks of treatment may lower the risk of subsequent emergency care for suicidality, though the relationship requires further study.