Time matters for metas: a systematic review and meta-analysis of ect vs ketamine for depression incorporating time.
Translational psychiatry January 23, 2026 Stevan Nikolin, Clara Massaneda-Tuneu, Louise Brettell et al. 1 citation
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) leads to a faster reduction in depressive symptoms than ketamine for severe, medication-resistant depression. A meta-analysis of seven studies with 731 participants found that depression scores were slightly lower at baseline in the ketamine group. After adjusting for baseline differences, ECT produced an additional improvement of about 0.02 standardized mean difference per day, amounting to a predicted moderate advantage over ketamine after four weeks. This advantage falls within the range considered clinically meaningful.