Intranasal esketamine for patients with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal of psychiatric research December 1, 2024 Soroush Oraee, Mohammadreza Alinejadfard, Hossein Golsorkh et al. 13 citations
Intranasal esketamine, given alongside an oral antidepressant, leads to higher remission and response rates than a placebo in people with major depressive disorder, including those with treatment-resistant depression. A meta-analysis of nine clinical trials involving 1,752 patients found that esketamine doses ranging from 28 to 84 mg produced significantly greater remission (risk ratio 1.37) and response (risk ratio 1.27). The 84 mg and flexible doses were particularly effective. Adverse events were common but generally tolerable. The drug appears safe and effective in the short term, though more research is needed on long-term effects and specific patient subgroups.