Treating depression with Esketamine

A recent free, full article has been published after an open-table study on Esketamine showing promising results. This open-label study (n=70) compared the effect of esketamine (28-84mg; 8x) in those with bipolar treatment-resistant depression (B-TRD, n=35) and those with unipolar TRD. There was no significant difference between the two groups on depression scores, and both responded to treatment. Those in the B-TRD group had more anxiety-reducing effects. This study is part of the REAL-ESK study. The study looked at the safety and effectiveness data from a naturalistic multi-centric study on Esketamine in Bipolar versus Unipolar Treatment-Resistant Depression.

The authors concluded that "Our findings support the effectiveness and tolerability of ESK-NS in a real-world population of subjects affected by B-TRD. The prolonged effectiveness to three months and the possible action on mixed features in patients with BD represent intriguing results. Furthermore, the low risk of manic switch in patients with B-TRD, superimposed on the TRD group, confirms the safety of this treatment. Undoubtedly, ESK-NS represents a challenge for the future of resistant depression treatment in BD."

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