Ketamine versus electroconvulsive therapy for major depressive episode: An updated systematic review and non-inferiority meta-analysis.
Psychiatry research September 1, 2024 Arthur Bezerra Cavalcanti Petrucci, João Vitor Andrade Fernandes, Isabelle Albuquerque Reis et al. 18 citations
A systematic review and meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials involving 655 patients compared ketamine with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for major depressive episodes. Ketamine was not non-inferior to ECT in response rate, with a risk difference of -0.10. ECT led to a greater reduction in depression scores, though remission and relapse rates did not differ. Ketamine resulted in better posttreatment cognition and fewer muscle aches but more dissociative symptoms. Among inpatients, ketamine was inferior to ECT in response and remission. The findings support ECT over ketamine for inpatients, and further research is needed for outpatients.