EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF RACEMIC KETAMINE AND ESKETAMINE FOR DEPRESSION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS
Expert Opinion on Drug Safety March 9, 2022 Anees Bahji, Carlos A. Zarate, Gustavo H. Vazquez 71 citations
Ketamine and esketamine are effective, safe, and acceptable treatments for depression. A meta-analysis of 36 randomized controlled trials (2,903 participants, 57% female, average age 45 years) found that treatment with either form of ketamine improved response (2.14 times more likely), remission (1.64 times more likely), and depression severity compared to placebo. There was no difference in treatment retention, dropouts due to adverse events, or overall number of adverse events between ketamine and placebo.