Intravenous ketamine versus electroconvulsive therapy for major depressive disorder or bipolar depression: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Journal of affective disorders February 15, 2025 Zhan-Ming Shi, Xian-Jun Lan, Qing Chen et al. 6 citations
A meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials involving 664 patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar depression found that intravenous (IV) ketamine produced a greater reduction in depressive symptoms 24 hours after the first treatment compared to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). However, by the end of treatment, both approaches showed similar rates of response and remission. Neurocognitive outcomes were inconsistent across studies. IV ketamine caused more dissociation, blurred vision, dizziness, and double vision, while ECT led to more muscle pain. The faster onset of antidepressant effects with IV ketamine does not translate into superior long-term outcomes, and larger trials are needed to assess lasting efficacy and safety.