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Ketamine infusion has been shown to rapidly reduce depressive symptoms for an average of 5 days in patients with treatment-resistant depression. In a manufacturer-funded study, researchers randomized 68 adults (mean age, 44; 67% women; 79% white) with treatment-resistant depression (after trying >2 antidepressants for the current episode) who met other inclusion criteria to receive, in double-blind fashion, twice- or thrice-weekly intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or placebo for ≤4 weeks; doses of current antidepressants were maintained. After 15 days, 31 nonresponders (nearly all placebo recipients) opted for a 2-week, open-label study involving ketamine administration at the same dose and frequency.
In both double-blind and open-label analy…