A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Frequency Study of Intravenous Ketamine in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression
American Journal of Psychiatry April 8, 2016 Jaskaran Singh, Maggie Fedgchin, Ella Daly et al. 530 citations
In adults with treatment-resistant depression, intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) given two or three times per week produced a substantial and similar reduction in depression scores over 15 days compared to placebo. The twice-weekly ketamine group showed an average 18.4-point drop on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, versus 5.7 points for placebo; the thrice-weekly group showed a 17.7-point drop, versus 3.1 points for placebo. Headache, anxiety, dissociation, nausea, and dizziness were common side effects, but dissociative symptoms were temporary and lessened with repeated doses.