Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41084713›Full record

ArticleCureus2025

Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Muhammad Abbas, David B Adams, Jack Noto, Renzmark D Vallesteros, Talitha West

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Muhammad AbbasPsychiatry, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, USA.
David B AdamsPsychiatry, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, USA.
Jack NotoPsychiatry, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, USA.
Renzmark D VallesterosPsychiatry, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, USA.
Talitha WestPsychiatry, Hackensack Meridian Ocean Medical Center, Brick, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Management of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is complex and frustrating for patients, requiring several treatment courses before (or without) achieving remission. This investigation aims to highlight and analyze real-world instances of using esketamine for patients with TRD who have failed electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).  Four case reports from a single Hackensack-Meridian care center are described in detail. They, along with a literature review, were then used to drive a narrative discussion on the potential of esketamine as a TRD therapy. Of the four cases analyzed, three patients experienced significant improvement in symptoms. However, largely due to side effects, only one case resulted in effective long-term treatment using esketamine. Given that all four patients previously failed ECT, these results are encouraging. Even a humble success rate may inspire hope in a patient population that is largely considered intractable using current methodology. This study found that esketamine is a viable alternative for some patients suffering from TRD. This even remains true in some of our patients who have failed ECT - one of the more effective, more aggressive therapies for TRD.

Indexed as

case report seriesdepressionesketamineliterature reviewtreatment-resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID41084713
PMCPMC12515493

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.