Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40020133›Full record

SynthesisMedicine2025

Efficacy of esketamine nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

Yannan Ouyang, Juan Li

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. 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

2 authors.

Yannan OuyangSchool of Education, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0009-0002-2651-140
Juan LiAcademic Affairs Office, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe efficacy of esketamine nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression remains controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to explore the influence of esketamine nasal spray on treatment efficacy for treatment-resistant depression.

methodsWe conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases, including PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library through March 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of esketamine nasal spray on the treatment efficacy of depression. This meta-analysis was performed using the random-effect model.

resultsFive RCTs are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group treatment-resistant depression, esketamine nasal spray is associated with significantly reduced MADRS scores (SMD = -3.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -5.71 to -2.05; P < .0001), increased response rates (RR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.28-3.10; P = .002), decreased Sheehan Disability Scale (SMD = -3.01; 95% CI = -4.39 to -1.64; P < .0001) and PHQ-9 scores (SMD = -2.32; 95% CI = -3.51 to -1.13; P = .0001), but leads to the increase in dizziness (RR = 3.55; 95% CI = 2.37-5.32; P < .00001) and nausea (RR = 3.88; 95% CI = 2.10-7.18; P < .0001).

conclusionEsketamine nasal spray is beneficial to improve the efficacy of treatment-resistant depression.

Indexed as

Antidepressive AgentsDepressive Disorder, Treatment-ResistantKetamineAdministration, IntranasalHumansNasal SpraysRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAntidepressive AgentsEsketamineKetamineNasal Sprays

Identifiers

PMID40020133
PMCPMC11875627

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.