Safety and effectiveness of intranasal esketamine for treatment-resistant depression: a real-world retrospective study
Ahuja, S., Brendle, M., Malone, D. C., Moore, C., Robison, R., Thielking, P., Valle, M.
This retrospective analysis (n=171) examined the effectiveness of esketamine in participants with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). A significant reduction in depressive symptoms was observed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 from baseline to last the last treatment.
Abstract
Aim: There is limited real-world evidence for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) receiving esketamine nasal spray. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data collected from a psychiatric clinic's EHR system. Results: A total of 171 TRD patients received esketamine from July 2019-June 2021. This predominantly female, white population had several mental health comorbidities and high exposure to psychiatric medications. We observed significant reductions (p < 0.001) in average PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores from baseline (PHQ-9: mean: 16.7; SD: 5.8; GAD-7: mean: 12.0; SD: 5.8) to the last available treatment (PHQ-9: mean: 12.0; SD: 6.4; GAD-7: mean: 8.7; SD: 5.6). There were no reports of serious adverse events. Conclusion: This study found a significant disease burden for patients with TRD. Esketamine appears to be well tolerated and effective in improving depression and anxiety.