Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38662240›Full record

ReviewWiener klinische Wochenschrift2025

Perspectives in treatment-resistant depression: esketamine and electroconvulsive therapy.

Pia Baldinger-Melich, Marie Spies, Ina Bozic, Siegfried Kasper, Dan Rujescu, Richard Frey

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Pia Baldinger-MelichDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Marie SpiesDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Ina BozicDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Siegfried KasperDepartment of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Vienna, Austria.
Dan RujescuDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Richard FreyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria. richard.frey@meduniwien.ac.at.
Medical University of Vienna · ATComprehensive Cancer Center Vienna · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Modern electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the approval of nasal esketamine for clinical use have significantly improved the approach to treatment-resistant depression (TRD), which is defined as non-response to at least two different courses of antidepressants with verified adherence to treatment, adequate dosage, and duration of treatment. The goal of this literature review is to present the newest evidence regarding efficacy and safety. Furthermore, we aim to provide an overview of future perspectives in this field of research, for example, regarding structural and molecular effects. Both treatment methods will be critically evaluated for their individual advantages, disadvantages, and response rates. Firstly, we will discuss the well-established method of ECT and its different treatment modalities. Secondly, we will discuss the properties of ketamine, the discovery of its antidepressive effects and the route to clinical approval of the esketamine nasal spray. We will comment on research settings which have evaluated intravenous ketamine against ECT. The decision-making process between esketamine nasal spray or ECT should include the assessment of contraindications, age, severity of disease, presence of psychotic symptoms, patient preference and treatment accessibility. We conclude that both treatment options are highly effective in TRD. If both are indicated, pragmatically esketamine will be chosen before ECT; however, ECT studies in ketamine non-responders are missing.

Indexed as

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-ResistantElectroconvulsive TherapyKetamineAdministration, IntranasalAntidepressive AgentsEvidence-Based MedicineHumansTreatment OutcomeAntidepressive AgentsEsketamineKetamineAntidepressant treatmentElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT)EsketamineKetamineTreatment-resistant depression (TRD)

Identifiers

PMID38662240
OpenAlexW4395465187

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.