title: Treatment escalation in patients not responding to pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and electro-convulsive therapy: experiences from a novel regimen using intravenous S-ketamine as add-on therapy in treatment-resistant depression.
abstract: A lack of response despite maximum therapy is common in patients fulfilling criteria of treatment-resistant depression. Therefore, innovative strategies for treatment escalation are warranted. Here, we report the clinical experiences associated with a novel therapeutic regimen combining electroconvulsive therapy and repeated intravenous S-ketamine treatment in three patients. The combined therapy was feasible and had no serious side effects. All patients responded to the new treatment option. The augmentative effect of sub-anesthetic S-ketamine on ECT is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.|Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kallmünzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.|Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Volbers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karthaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ozan Yüksel
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Tektas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91052, Erlangen, Germany. helge.mueller@uk-erlangen.de.|School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy-University Hospital, Medical Campus University of Oldenburg, Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. helge.mueller@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Helge H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007649:Ketamine
keywords: Electroconvulsive therapy; Innovative antidepressive strategies; Ketamine; Treatment resistant depression