Case Report
Modified IV Ketamine Infusion Protocol for Treatment-Resistant Depression and Suicidal Ideation - A Case Report
Hanna AFThe evidence supporting the use of ketamine for treating depression has grown rapidly in recent years. However, infusion protocols used in clinical practice have not yet been optimized. This manuscript describes the clinical course of a patient with treatment-resistant depression and suicidal ideation, who was treated using a modified ketamine infusion protocol at the Florida Spine Institute (Clearwater, FL, USA). The severity of this patient’s depression was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Scale at each visit throughout the treatment period. Throughout the initial five-day infusion protocol her depressive symptoms were resolved (89% decrease from baseline). This treatment response was sustained over the course of 5 months with periodic booster ketamine infusions. Given this clinical observation, systematic controlled trials may be warranted using this modified infusion protocol for depression. Keywords: Antidepressants; Esketamine; Ketamine hydrochloride; Ketamine infusion protocol; Suicidality; Treatment resistant depression Abbreviations: Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD), Intravenous (IV), United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)