Navigating the challenge of patient selection and scales to measure outcomes in ketamine trials for treatment-resistant depression.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) January 1, 2025 Sarah Pereira Gomes, Sofia Rodrigues Lima, Fabio Gomes de Matos Souza et al. 1 citation
A letter critically discusses a previously published study on ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, raising concerns about the methodology, choice of outcome measures, and interpretation of results. The author questions whether the active control and crossover design adequately addressed placebo effects and blinding, and whether the reported improvements reflect genuine antidepressant effects or unblinding and expectation bias. The letter does not present new data but highlights potential limitations in the original study's design and conclusions.