Effects of a single subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative subthreshold depressive symptoms in patients undergoing unilateral modified radical mastectomy: a randomised, controlled, double-blind trial.
BMC psychiatry April 24, 2024 Huanwei Wang, Rigen Te, Jianxing Zhang et al. 15 citations
A single low dose of esketamine given during surgery to breast cancer patients without preoperative depression lowered their score on a depression questionnaire one day after a mastectomy, compared to patients who received a placebo. The group given esketamine had a reduced Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score on postoperative day 1, while the placebo group's score increased; the difference was statistically significant. By days 3, 7, and 30 after surgery, there was no meaningful difference between the groups. The esketamine group also had a higher white blood cell count after surgery. The treatment did not increase side effects such as delirium, nausea, or vomiting.