A single intravenous dose of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents with major depressive disorder compared with an active placebo (midazolam) 24 hours after infusion, with a large effect size. The improvement appeared to persist for up to 14 days on one depression scale but not another. More participants responded to ketamine during the first three days (76%) than to midazolam (35%). Ketamine caused temporary dissociative symptoms but no serious adverse events. This first controlled trial in adolescents suggests ketamine is well tolerated and has short-term efficacy for treatment-resistant depression.
A single intravenous infusion of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents with major depressive disorder 24 hours later compared with the active placebo midazolam. The treatment effects appeared to persist for 14 days on one depression scale but not another. A greater proportion of participants responded to ketamine during the first three days after infusion (76%) compared with midazolam (35%). Ketamine caused transient dissociative symptoms but no serious adverse events.