Intravenous Ketamine as a Treatment Option for Patients Presenting to the ED With Suicidal Ideation | American Journal of Psychiatry Residents’ Journal
— Read on psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2022.170302
Objective: Prior research has shown that ketamine has anti-suicide effects. Additional evidence also suggests that ketamine may offer pro-cognitive effects. Herein, we propose that the anti-suicide effects of ketamine are partially mediated via pro-cognitive effects. We aimed to determine whether improvement in cognitive function mediated change in suicidal ideation was associated with ketamine treatment. Methods: Unipolar or bipolar depressive patients (n=86) with suicidal ideation received six infusions of ketamine (0.5mg/kg) over two weeks. Current severity of suicidal ideation and depression symptoms were assessed with the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) and the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) respectively at baseline, day 13 and day 26. Cognitive domains, including processing speed, working memory, visual learning and verbal learning were measured with the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery at the same time-points. Results: Mediation analysis showed a significant total effect of ketamine treatment on SSI score (coef=-1.853, 95%CI [-2.2, -1.5]). The direct and total indirect (MADRS total score and any of cognitive domains) effects of ketamine on suicidal ideation both were statistically significant (direct: coef=-1.064~-1.352; total indirect: coef=-0.501~-0.788). MADRS total score and processing speed (but not other cognitive domains) were significant partial mediators of the association between ketamine treatment and improvements in suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms severity and processing speed performance partially mediated improvements in suicidal ideation after repeated ketamine infusions in persons with unipolar or bipolar depressive disorder.
— Read on www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.779326/full
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious stress-related disorder caused by traumatic experiences. However, identifying a key therapy that can be used for PTSD treatment remains difficult. Ketamine, a well-known dissociative anesthetic, is considered safe to be used in anesthesia, pain management, and antidepressant actions since 1970. At present, it is still controversial whether PTSD can be treated with ketamine. The authors performed a meta-analysis to determine whether the use of perioperative ketamine lowers the incidence of PTSD. Method: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched to examine the use of ketamine for the treatment of PTSD among soldiers with combating experience. Studies were included if they were randomized placebo-controlled, case-control, and cohort studies. The primary outcome was the incidence of PTSD in the later stage of the wounded or burn soldiers. The secondary outcome was the influence of ketamine on PTSD-scale scores for early and chronic PTSD, respectively. Results: Our search yielded a total of three studies (n=503 patients) comparing the use of ketamine (n=349) to control (n=154). The available evidence showed no significant difference in the incidence of PTSD between combatant soldiers on the battlefield with or without ketamine treatment (risk ratio = 0.81, 95% CI, 0.63—1.04; P=0.10). In 65 patients from three trials, ketamine was not only ineffective in treating early PTSD but also lead to exacerbation of the disease (risk ratio = 2.45, 95% CI, 1.33—3.58; P<0.001). However, in 91 patients from the other three trials, ketamine is effective in treating chronic PTSD (risk ratio = -3.66, 95% CI, -7.05—-0.27; P=0.03). Conclusion: Ketamine was not effective on lower the PTSD incidence for soldiers on the battlefield, nor on the PTSD-scale scores in early PTSD patients. However, it may improve the PTSD-scale scores for chronic conditions.
— Read on www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.813103/full
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