A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial of the Acute Antisuicidal and Antidepressant Effects of Intranasal (R,S)-Ketamine in Severe Unipolar and Bipolar Depression With and Without Comorbid Alcohol Use Disorder.
The Journal of clinical psychiatry April 24, 2024 Gregory H Jones, Courtney M Vecera, Ana C Ruiz et al. 13 citations
A single dose of intranasal ketamine (50 mg) produced rapid antidepressant effects compared to placebo in unmedicated inpatients with major depression and current suicidal ideation, but did not significantly reduce suicidal thoughts. Patients with comorbid alcohol use disorder showed a statistical trend toward greater improvement in suicidality, though the primary outcome was not met. The treatment was well tolerated. The antidepressant benefit was largely unaffected by the presence of alcohol use disorder or the type of mood disorder (unipolar or bipolar). Among those receiving ketamine, improvement in depression correlated with reduced suicidal ideation only in patients without alcohol use disorder.