Research Papers:
Ketamine rapidly relieves acute suicidal ideation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial
PDF | Full Text | How to cite
Metrics: PDF 3158 views | Full Text 6164 views
Wei Fan1, HaiKou Yang2, Yong Sun3, Jun Zhang1, Guangming Li1, Ying Zheng1, Yi Liu1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Huai’an First People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China
2Department of Anesthesiology, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Huai’an City, Qingpu, Huai’an City, Jiangsu, 223002, P.R. China
3Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Huai’an First People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China
Correspondence to:
Yong Sun, email: [email protected]
Keywords: ketamine, cancer, depression, suicidal ideation
Received: September 20, 2016 Accepted: November 23, 2016 Published: December 01, 2016
ABSTRACT
This study was designed to examine the rapid antidepressant effects of single dose ketamine on suicidal ideation and overall depression level in patients with newly-diagnosed cancer. Forty-two patients were enrolled into the controlled trial and randomized into two groups: ketamine group and midazolam group. Patients from the two groups received a sub-anesthetic dose of racemic ketamine hydrochloride or midazolam. Suicidal ideation score, measured with the Beck Scale and suicidal part of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, significantly decreased on day 1 and day 3 in ketamine-treated patients when compared to those treated with midazolam. Consistently, overall depression levels measured using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale indicated a significant relief of overall depression on day 1 in ketamine-treated patients. Collectively, this study provides novel information about the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine on acute depression and suicidal ideation in newly-diagnosed cancer patients.