Heart Rate Variability as a Potential Predictor of Response to Intranasal Esketamine in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Preliminary Report.
Journal of clinical medicine August 14, 2024 Lorenzo Moccia, Giovanni Bartolucci, Maria Pepe et al. 7 citations
In a small preliminary study of 18 patients with treatment-resistant depression given esketamine nasal spray for one month, those who responded to treatment (44.5% of the sample, defined by at least a 30% reduction in depression scores) had lower heart rate variability at baseline compared to non-responders. After one month of treatment, responders' heart rate variability increased. Baseline heart rate variability showed potential to discriminate between responders and non-responders. The findings suggest a link between esketamine treatment and changes in autonomic function measured by heart rate variability, but larger studies are needed to confirm heart rate variability as a predictor of treatment response.