Intravenous Ketamine Followed by Intranasal Esketamine in 2 Subsequent Treatment-resistant Depressive Episodes: Insights From a Case Series.
Journal of psychiatric practice September 1, 2025 Matteo Carminati, Mattia Tondello, Barbara Barbini et al. 2 citations
In a case series of five patients with treatment-resistant depression who received both intravenous ketamine and later intranasal esketamine, four responded to ketamine but only one responded to esketamine. A better response to ketamine did not predict a good response to esketamine; the one patient who did not respond to ketamine showed a good response to esketamine. All patients had significant reductions in depressive symptoms after both treatments, but none achieved remission. The findings suggest both treatments reduce symptoms, with a generally better response to ketamine, possibly due to the R-ketamine component or the inpatient versus outpatient setting.