title: Dosing and effectiveness of ketamine anesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide additional data about the clinical efficacy and dosing range for ketamine used as the induction agent in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ethan O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Coordinator, Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriella M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ahle
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Coordinator, Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Liebman
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Aloysi
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Majeske
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lapidus
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA charles.kellner@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kellner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000379:methods*; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D007649:Ketamine
keywords: ECT; electroconvulsive therapy; ketamine