Clinical Outcomes of Intravenous Ketamine Treatment for Depression in the VA Health System.

Intravenous (IV) ketamine is effective for reducing symptoms of major depressive disorder in short-term clinical trials; this study characterized clinical outcomes of repeated infusions in routine clinical practice and the frequency and number of infusions used to sustain symptom improvement. Records of IV ketamine infusions for depression and associated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores were identified from Veterans Health Administration (VA) electronic medical records for patients treated in Fiscal Year 2020 and up to 12 months following the date of their first infusion. Sample patients (n = 215) had a mean baseline PHQ-9 score of 18.