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Abstract

Background:Treatment resistant depression is a disabling disorder associated with relevant psychosocial impairment. Ketamine, an anesthetic agent as intravenous infusion proves to be an efficient antidepressant at subanesthetic doses of 0.5 mg/kg body weight. Suicide is a psychiatric emergency, and there are limited pharmacological options to treat acute risk. Rapidly acting agent such as Ketamine infusion can effectively manage such patients with treatment resistant depression and active suicidality.Aim:This study aims at assessing the sociodemographic profile of the depressive patients with treatment resistant depression and active suicidality, attending Ketamine clinic at Institute of Mental Health And Neurosciences (IMHANS) Kashmir.Method:Patients aged 18 years and above visiting the ketamine clinic from April 2020 to April 2021 for treatment resistant depression and suicidality were evaluated as per a preformed proforma and divided into various categories of socio-occupational status as per the modified Kuppuswamy scale. Clinical diagnosis of patients was established using DSM 5 system of classification.Results:A total of 21 patients were included in the study (M:F = 11:10). The mean age of the patients was 41.19 + 9.57 years. The majority of the patients belonged to upper lower class. MDD and BPAD was seen in 10 and 9 patients respectively. Thirteen patients were resistant to oral medication and two were actively suicidal, while both resistance to oral medication as well as active suicidality was seen in 6 patients. The difference between various reasons for ketamine infusion was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.012.Conclusion:Ketamine infusion can form an effective strategy in managing patients with treatment resistant depression. Ketamine shows its action within minutes to hours and thus reduces the acute risk of engaging in suicidal acts as well.