Response to Ketamine Therapy in Anxious and Non-Anxious Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials
European Psychiatry April 1, 2025 Ilídio Oliveira, A. L. Stephany, M. L. Geremias et al.
Ketamine reduces depressive symptoms similarly in people with anxious depression (AxD) and those with non-anxious depression (NAxD). A meta-analysis of eight clinical trials with 536 participants found no significant difference in symptom improvement between the two groups at 13 days or 26–28 days after treatment, nor in overall depression response. The AxD group had more severe baseline depressive symptoms, consistent with earlier reports. The authors conclude that ketamine is a viable treatment for anxious depression, a condition that may respond poorly to traditional antidepressants. The analysis is limited by few studies, small samples, and moderate heterogeneity.