Ketamine Infusion for Treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder

Summary

Ketamine infusion has been shown to have rapid antidepressant properties, however the possible use of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression as augmentation has not been investigated. The overall aim of this study is to assess the feasibility, safety and tolerability, efficacy and duration of the effect of intravenous N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine as augmentation of antidepressants for chronic suicidal ideation in subjects with severe treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This is an open-label study (pilot).

Timeline

Start

2012-04

Primary completion

2014-09

Completion

2014-12

Publications

• Results Ionescu DF, Swee MB, Pavone KJ, Taylor N, Akeju O, Baer L, Nyer M, Cassano P, Mischoulon D, Alpert JE, Brown EN, Nock MK, Fava M, Cusin C. Rapid and Sustained Reductions in Current Suicidal Ideation Following Repeated Doses of Intravenous Ketamine: Secondary Analysis of an Open-Label Study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2016 Jun;77(6):e719-25. doi: 10.4088/JCP.15m10056.
• Results Cusin C, Ionescu DF, Pavone KJ, Akeju O, Cassano P, Taylor N, Eikermann M, Durham K, Swee MB, Chang T, Dording C, Soskin D, Kelley J, Mischoulon D, Brown EN, Fava M. Ketamine augmentation for outpatients with treatment-resistant depression: Preliminary evidence for two-step intravenous dose escalation. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2017 Jan;51(1):55-64. doi: 10.1177/0004867416631828.

Drugs

Indications