Use of Ketamine to Enhance Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in Depression

Brief Summary

The primary objectives of this study are to investigate the potential for ketamine anesthesia to increase the antidepressant efficacy of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and to decrease acute ECT-induced adverse cognitive effects.

Intervention / Treatment

  • Ketamine (DRUG)
    Ketamine 1-2 mg/kg IV as indicated for ECT
  • Methohexital (DRUG)
    Methohexital 1 mg/kg IV as indicated for ECT

Condition or Disease

  • Major Depression
  • Bipolar Depression

Phase

  • Not Applicable
  • Study Design

    Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
    Status: Terminated
    Study results: No Results Available
    Age: 18 Years to 65 Years
    Enrollment: 3 (ACTUAL)
    Funded by: Other
    Allocation: Randomized
    Primary Purpose: Treatment

    Masking

    DOUBLE:
    • Participant
    • Outcomes Assessor

    Clinical Trial Dates

    Start date: Apr 01, 2010
    Primary Completion: Oct 01, 2010 ACTUAL
    Completion Date: Oct 01, 2010 ACTUAL
    Study First Posted: Mar 07, 2011 ESTIMATED
    Results First Posted: Aug 30, 2013 ESTIMATED
    Last Updated: Jul 29, 2013

    Sponsors / Collaborators

    Lead Sponsor: James Murrough
    Responsible Party: James Murrough

    Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most robust antidepressant treatments available. However, there is the potential for significant acute and longer term adverse cognitive effects with ECT and the antidepressant response requires multiple treatment sessions, increasing risk of adverse effects. Further, antidepressant response to ECT is often less than maximal and relapse is common. Growing preclinical and clinical evidence of the rapid-acting antidepressant properties of the anesthetic agent ketamine suggests the use of ketamine anesthesia as a strategy to increase rate of response and shorten treatment course in the administration of ECT. In addition, preclinical and clinical evidence suggests the potential of ketamine to decrease the adverse cognitive effects associated with ECT.

    The investigators propose a pilot study to measure both acute therapeutic efficacy and cognitive side effects of ECT using ketamine compared to methohexital in depressed patients. The investigators will also explore other parameters of ECT such as seizure duration and morphology, as well as hemodynamic and behavioral changes.

    Participant Groups

    • Participants receiving ECT for depression will be randomized 1:1 to either ketamine (experimental condition) or methohexital (standard anesthetic).

    • Participants receiving ECT for depression will be randomized 1:1 to either ketamine (experimental condition) or methohexital (standard anesthetic).

    Eligibility Criteria

    Sex: All
    Minimum Age: 18
    Maximum Age: 65
    Age Groups: Adult / Older Adult
    Healthy Volunteers: Yes

    Inclusion Criteria:

    1. Male or female patients: 18 to 59 years
    2. Women of childbearing potential must agree to use a medically accepted means of contraception for the duration of the study
    3. DSM IV MINI diagnosis of major depressive episode (MDD), unipolar or bipolar
    4. Pretreatment 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score \> 21
    5. ECT is clinically indicated
    6. Patient has the capacity to provide informed consent.

    Exclusion Criteria:

    1. DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or mental retardation
    2. Current primary diagnosis of anxiety disorder, obsessive- compulsive disorder, or eating disorder that precedes the onset of the current episode of depression
    3. Current diagnosis of delirium, dementia, or amnestic disorder
    4. Baseline Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score \< 24 and a total score falling two standard deviations below the age- and education-adjusted mean
    5. Any active general medical condition or CNS disease which can affect cognition or response to treatment
    6. Current (within the past three months) diagnosis of active substance dependence, or active substance abuse within the past week
    7. Lifetime history of ketamine or PCP abuse or dependence
    8. ECT within three months
    9. The presence of any known or suspected contraindication to methohexital or ketamine including but not limited to known allergic reactions to these agents, uncontrolled hypertension arrhythmia severe coronary artery disease and porphyria
    10. Pregnancy

    Primary Outcomes
    • The HDRS-24 is used to rate depressive symptoms. This instrument is considered one of the "gold standard" clinician-rated instruments for depressive symptoms. We have established procedures for the maintenance of inter-rater reliability.

    Secondary Outcomes
    • The QIDS-SR is a 16-item self-rated instrument designed to assess the severity of depressive symptoms present in the past seven days (Rush et al 2003). The 16 items cover the nine symptom domains of major depression, and are rated on a scale of 0-3. Total score ranges from 0 to 27, with ranges of 0-5 (normal), 6-10 (mild), 11-15 (moderate), 16-20 (moderate to severe), and 21+ (severe).

    More Details

    NCT Number: NCT01309581
    Other IDs: GCO 09-2251
    Study URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01309581
    Last updated: Sep 29, 2023