{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.03966189856957087, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0188556566970091, 'mean_word_length': 5.521186440677966, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Ketamine augmentation rapidly improves depression scores in inpatients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression

Abstract Objective: To study the clinical effect of a single ketamine infusion, 0.5 mg/kg body weight, in bipolar depressive patients receiving mood-stabilising drugs, not improving on antidepressants. Previously, in such patients, we had found a correlation between clinical efficacy, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vitamin B12 levels and a rapid improvement in neurocognitive performance. Methods: The study included 53 patients (13 men, 40 women), aged 22–81 years, receiving ≥1 mood-stabilising medications of the first and/or second generation. Pre-infusion depression intensity on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was 23.4 ± 4.6 points and the assumed criterion for response was a reduction of ≥50% in the HDRS score after 7 days. Results: Twenty-seven subjects (51%) met a criterion for response, more frequently males (77%) than females (43%). Responders did not differ from non-responders as to age, illness onset, duration of depressive episode, type of bipolar illness, family history of psychiatric illness, personal/family history of alcoholism or using lithium, quetiapine or a combination of these mood stabilisers. Conclusions: The results confirm a rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine infusion in a considerable proportion of those patients with bipolar depression receiving mood-stabilising drugs. Apart from male gender, no other clinical factors were predictors of response.