title: Ketamine rapidly relieves acute suicidal ideation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Huai'an City, Qingpu, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: HaiKou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guangming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an City, Jiangsu, 223300, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D007649:Ketamine; D008874:Midazolam
keywords: cancer; depression; ketamine; suicidal ideation