P.2.f.026 Clinical and neurophysiological biomarkers of ketamine's antidepressant effect in major depressive disorder patients

Abstract

Results: HAM-D21 score decreased from the mean of 32.8±5.54 at baseline to 26.63±5.15 after 3 weeks, and 19.57±3.53 at 6 weeks with the final mean o 11.40±6.18 after 12 weeks. All the above changes were statistically significant (p 0.01). Equally significant reduction was found in the mean MADRS score; from 34.57±6.71 at baseline to 29.70±6.11 in 3 weeks, 20.13±5.03 in 6 weeks and 10.00±7.31 after 12 weeks of treatment. Further on, the mean HAM-A score was significantly reduced from the baseline mean of 36.20±4.15 to 30.27±4.05 in 3 weeks, 22.17±6.11 in 6 weeks and 12.23±8.41 in 12 weeks follow up. Significant decrease in severity of illness score was recorded with CGI, as well as significant global improvement of the subjects 7 (23.3%) of the subjects recovered, and 17 (56.7%) had a clinical response while 6 (20%) had improvement of symptoms. Deterioration of symptoms or severity of illness was not recorded. Tolerability of venlafaxine was excellent in 80% of the subjects and very good in the remaining 20%. Al of the subjects completed the 12 week course of treatment with venlafaxine. Conclusions: Venlafaxine proved to be an efficacious, safe and well tolerated agent for the treatment of Depressive disorder comorbid with Generalized anxiety disorder for the subjects in this study. Venlafaxine demonstrated fast clinical response in the majority of subjects. The results of this study provide further evidence about venlafaxine safety and tolerability [1−3]. This, together with the observation that the reduction of scores on HAM-D, HAM-A and MADRS were greater and faster in subjects with higher initial scores could lead us to the conclusion about the place of venlafaxine in the treatment of depression comorbid with anxiety. (Perhaps even in other psychiatric disorders whose hallmark can also be defined by depression and anxiety symptoms, such as chronic PTSD for example.) The limitation of this study is in a small number of subjects and the absence of a control group.