Protocol of an open-label safety and feasibility pilot study of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder (the KAPPA trial).
BMJ open February 10, 2025 Kathryn Fletcher, Nadine Ezard, Krista J Siefried et al. 1 citation
A pilot study will test the safety and feasibility of combining subanaesthetic ketamine with cognitive behavioural therapy for adults with methamphetamine use disorder. Twenty participants seeking to reduce or stop methamphetamine use will receive three subcutaneous ketamine doses (0.75 to 0.9 mg/kg) at weekly intervals and four therapy sessions over four weeks. The study will measure recruitment time, eligibility rates, treatment completion, retention, and acceptability over eight weeks, and explore changes in methamphetamine use, cravings, withdrawal, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction over 24 weeks. No pharmacological treatments currently exist for this condition, and psychotherapy alone is only moderately effective.