Ketamine versus ECT for Nonpsychotic Treatment-Resistant Major Depression

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and subanesthetic intravenous ketamine are both currently used for treatment-resistant major depression, but the comparative effectiveness of the two treatments remains uncertain.

METHODS

We conducted an open-label, randomized, noninferiority trial involving patients referred to ECT clinics for treatment-resistant major depression. Patients with treatment-resistant major depression without psychosis were recruited and assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive ketamine or ECT. During an initial 3-week treatment phase, patients received either ECT three times per week or ketamine (0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight over 40 minutes) twice per week. The primary outcome was a response to treatment (i.e., a decrease of ≥50% from baseline in the score on the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report; scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating greater depression). The noninferiority margin was -10 percentage points. Secondary outcomes included scores on memory tests and patient-reported quality of life. After the initial treatment phase, the patients who had a response were followed over a 6-month period.

RESULTS

A total of 403 patients underwent randomization at five clinical sites; 200 patients were assigned to the ketamine group and 203 to the ECT group. After 38 patients had withdrawn before initiation of the assigned treatment, ketamine was administered to 195 patients and ECT to 170 patients. A total of 55.4% of the patients in the ketamine group and 41.2% of those in the ECT group had a response (difference, 14.2 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 3.9 to 24.2; P<0.001 for the noninferiority of ketamine to ECT). ECT appeared to be associated with a decrease in memory recall after 3 weeks of treatment (mean [±SE] decrease in the T-score for delayed recall on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, -0.9±1.1 in the ketamine group vs. -9.7±1.2 in the ECT group; scores range from -300 to 200, with higher scores indicating better function) with gradual recovery during follow-up. Improvement in patient-reported quality-of-life was similar in the two trial groups. ECT was associated with musculoskeletal adverse effects, whereas ketamine was associated with dissociation.

CONCLUSIONS

Ketamine was noninferior to ECT as therapy for treatment-resistant major depression without psychosis. (Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; ELEKT-D ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03113968.).

Patient Requests for Discharge from Voluntary Psychiatric Hospitalization: a Chart Review

The purpose of this study was to examine the rate of 72-hour letters (written requests for discharge, with 72 hours indicating the time the hospital has to discharge or seek retention) placed by voluntary psychiatric inpatients at a New York City hospital and determine whether there are factors contributing to the rates of discharge requests. Charts from all voluntary psychiatric hospitalizations during the calendar year 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Included were all single voluntary admissions by adults (age 18 years and older) to the hospital. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted with the following factors: urine toxicology, cigarette use on admission, suicidal ideation upon presentation, employment, past inpatient psychiatric admission, and admission day. A linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between discharge requests and these factors. Of the total sample (N = 581), 119 (20.5%) patients submitted 72-hour letters. The stepwise linear regression analysis confirmed a positive relationship between letter placement and admission day (M = 3.5, SD = 1.7), unemployment (M = 4.7, SD = 2.1), suicidal ideation (M = .5, SD = .5), positive urine toxicology (M = .47, SD = .5), previous psychiatric hospitalization (M = .7, SD = .5) and cigarette usage (M = .5, SD.5) R² = .043, (6, 461) = 3.42, p = .003). These specific variables accounted for 55.6% of likelihood of a patient submitting a 72-hour letter. Several factors, related to substance and tobacco use, employment, and recurrent use of inpatient services, likely contribute to requests for early discharge. Addressing these factors may help improve inpatient care, reduce costs and improve patient outcomes in the long term.

Extreme variability in succinylcholine dose for muscle relaxation in electroconvulsive therapy

OBJECTIVES

To determine what dose of succinylcholine falls outside the range of 2 SD above or below the mean optimal dose of 0.9 mg/kg used for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

METHODS

In this retrospective chart review, for all patients who received ECT at our institution within the 5-year study period, the initial dose of succinylcholine in milligrams per kilogram was compared with subsequent doses after adjustments were made for individual patient responses. Mean and SD were calculated using the dose of succinylcholine, once the optimal dose for each patient had been determined, based on clinical response.

RESULTS

Five hundred patients treated during the 5-year period met inclusion criteria, 180 (36%) of whom required an adjustment of the succinylcholine dosing either above (119 patients) or below (61 patients) the 0.9 mg/kg standard after their first treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

In those patients who required an adjustment of 2 SD either above or below the mean dose of succinylcholine (29 patients, 5.8%), adequate neuromuscular blockade was only achieved with either an increased dose of up to 2.10 mg/kg or a decreased dose as low as 0.29 mg/kg.

Case report: transient left bundle branch block associated with ECT

We present the first reported case of transient left bundle branch block (LBBB) occurring during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). LBBB is an important clinical finding, as it is associated with a significant increase in mortality. Physicians providing ECT should be aware of the significance of new-onset LBBB; it may occur during treatment.

Dosing and effectiveness of ketamine anesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): a case series

OBJECTIVE

To provide additional data about the clinical efficacy and dosing range for ketamine used as the induction agent in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

METHOD

We reviewed the clinical data in our academic hospital ECT service over the last four years for patients who had received ketamine as the sole, or adjunctive, anesthesia induction agent. We extracted clinical data about antidepressant response as well as absolute and weight-based dosing for ketamine.

RESULTS

We found nine patients who were treated with ketamine as the anesthetic at some point during the course of their treatment (eight as the sole agent, one as adjunctive). The median induction dose for ketamine was 1.1 mg/kg. For most patients, there was demonstrable clinical benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

Ketamine has a role as an alternative induction anesthetic agent in ECT. Our case series adds to the literature on the concomitant use of ECT and ketamine.

Left unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) after oligodendroglioma resection

A 44-year-old man with a previously resected right parietal oligodendroglioma received left unilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We present images of his brain magnetic resonance imaging, ECT electrode placement, and the electroencephalogram tracing from his ECT.