Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus Oral Antidepressant in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry April 20, 2020 Ewa Wajs, Leah Aluisio, Richard Holder et al. 288 citations
In a year-long open-label study of 802 adults with treatment-resistant depression, esketamine nasal spray combined with a new oral antidepressant showed a manageable safety profile and sustained improvement in depressive symptoms. Common side effects included dizziness, dissociation, nausea, and headache, mostly mild or moderate and resolving the same day. Two deaths occurred, neither linked to the drug. Cognitive performance remained stable or improved. Depression scores dropped during the first four weeks and stayed lower through the maintenance phase.