European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
February 20, 2020
G. C. Leal, I. D. Bandeira, F. S. Correia-Melo et al.
257 citations
A single intravenous infusion of arketamine (0.5 mg/kg) rapidly reduced depression severity in seven people with treatment-resistant depression. The Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score fell from an average of 30.7 before infusion to 10.4 after one day, a mean drop of 20.3 points. Dissociative side effects were nearly absent. The findings suggest arketamine may produce fast-onset and sustained antidepressant effects with a favorable safety profile, as previously observed in animals, but controlled trials are needed to confirm.
Journal of Affective Disorders
November 14, 2019
F. S. Correia-Melo, G. C. Leal, F. Vieira et al.
188 citations
In adults with treatment-resistant depression, a single intravenous infusion of esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) was non-inferior to ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) for achieving remission 24 hours later. Among 63 participants, 29.4% in the esketamine group and 24.1% in the ketamine group showed remission, a difference of 5.3% that fell within the predefined non-inferiority margin. Depression scores on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale improved similarly in both groups, and side effects were mild and comparable. The findings suggest that esketamine at half the dose of ketamine offers equivalent short-term efficacy and safety.
Medicine
September 1, 2018
Fernanda S. Correia-Melo, Gustavo C. Leal, Michelle S. Carvalho et al.
61 citations
A protocol describes a planned randomized, controlled, double-blind noninferiority trial comparing a single infusion of esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) with racemic ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) for treatment-resistant depression. The primary outcome is remission rates at 24 and 72 hours after infusion. Secondary outcomes include cognition, dissociation, and blood biomarkers. The authors state that no study has directly compared these two forms, and a head-to-head test is needed to see if esketamine is comparable in efficacy and safety.