Real-world effectiveness of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review & meta-analysis.
Journal of Psychiatric Research May 1, 2022 Yazen Alnefeesi, D. Chen-Li, Ella Krane et al. 177 citations
Ketamine shows substantial real-world antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression, with about 45% of patients responding and 30% achieving remission, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 79 studies involving 2665 patients. The effect varies considerably among individuals; more treatment-resistant cases remit less often, but response rates do not differ. The therapeutic benefit does not significantly decline with repeated treatments, indicating that even the most treatment-resistant patients may benefit and that mid-to-long term treatment is effective for many.