Trauma re-experiencing episodes during esketamine treatment in patients with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid PTSD: a retrospective case series.
European journal of psychotraumatology December 1, 2026 Maud Rothärmel, Lila Mekaoui, François Kazour et al. 1 citation
In a retrospective study of 22 adults with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder who received esketamine nasal spray, trauma re-experiencing episodes occurred during treatment sessions. For 16 patients (72.7%) these episodes disappeared as sessions progressed. Treatment was stopped for 6 patients (27.3%) due to re-experiencing. Among those who continued esketamine, depression response rate was 45.5% and remission 22.7%; PTSD improvement rate was 45.5% and remission 18.2%. The findings suggest esketamine can be safely administered in this comorbid population and that trauma re-experiencing does not prevent clinical improvement.