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Abstract

Objective:

Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist, has demonstrated a rapid-onset antidepressant effect in patients with treatment-resistant depression. This study evaluated the efficacy of twice- and thrice-weekly intravenous administration of ketamine in sustaining initial antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Method:

In a multicenter, double-blind study, adults (ages 18–64 years) with treatment-resistant depression were randomized to receive either intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg of body weight) or intravenous placebo, administered over 40 minutes, either two or three times weekly, for up to 4 weeks. Patients who discontinued double-blind treatment after at least 2 weeks for lack of efficacy could enter an optional 2-week open-label phase to receive ketamine with the same frequency as in the double-blind phase. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to day 15 in total score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

Results:

In total, 67 (45 women) of 68 randomized patients received treatment. In the twice-weekly dosing groups, the mean change in MADRS score at day 15 was −18.4 (SD=12.0) for ketamine and −5.7 (SD=10.2) for placebo; in the thrice-weekly groups, it was −17.7 (SD=7.3) for ketamine and −3.1 (SD=5.7) for placebo. Similar observations were noted for ketamine during the open-label phase (twice-weekly, −12.2 [SD=12.8] on day 4; thrice-weekly, −14.0 [SD=12.5] on day 5). Both regimens were generally well tolerated. Headache, anxiety, dissociation, nausea, and dizziness were the most common (≥20%) treatment-emergent adverse events. Dissociative symptoms occurred transiently and attenuated with repeated dosing.

Conclusions:

Twice-weekly and thrice-weekly administration of ketamine at 0.5 mg/kg similarly maintained antidepressant efficacy over 15 days.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to American Journal of Psychiatry
Go to American Journal of Psychiatry
American Journal of Psychiatry
Pages: 816 - 826
PubMed: 27056608

History

Received: 10 January 2016
Accepted: 11 January 2016
Published online: 8 April 2016
Published in print: August 01, 2016

Authors

Details

Jaskaran B. Singh, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Maggie Fedgchin, Pharm.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Ella J. Daly, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Peter De Boer, Ph.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Kimberly Cooper, M.S.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Pilar Lim, Ph.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Christine Pinter, M.S.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
James W. Murrough, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Gerard Sanacora, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Richard C. Shelton, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Benji Kurian, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Andrew Winokur, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Maurizio Fava, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Husseini Manji, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Wayne C. Drevets, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Luc Van Nueten, M.D.
From Janssen Research and Development, Titusville, N.J., and Beerse, Belgium; the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, N.Y.; the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; the Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.; University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

Notes

Address correspondence to Dr. Singh ([email protected]).
Presented in part at the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, New York, May 8–10, 2014; the 2014 American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology Annual Meeting, Hollywood, Fla., June 16–19, 2014; the 29th CINP (International Congress of Neuropsychopharmacology) World Congress, Vancouver, June 22–26, 2014; and the 27th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Berlin, October 18–21, 2014.

Funding Information

Janssen Research and Development10.13039/100005205:

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