Aim: In this review, we assessed the state of available knowledge regarding the
antidepressant action of intravenous ketamine versus electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT) in randomized clinical trials and clinical trials. Methods: To search for the
eligible articles, the PubMed database was used. Five studies were selected using
the inclusion criteria, and their findings are presented in our review. Results: Five
articles were selected. Three of them showed that ketamine is non-inferior to
ECT, and in some patients, it had a faster onset and reduced depressive
symptoms more significantly than ECT. Two of the selected articles concluded
that ketamine is inferior to ECT. However, it is still a potent treatment that can
induce response or remission faster than antidepressant drugs, even in patients
suffering from treatment-resistant depression. Discussion and conclusions: As
antidepressant properties of ketamine remain a relatively new discovery, further
research needs to be conducted regarding its efficacy in the treatment of
depressive disorders in relation to ECT, especially trials enrolling more
participants. It is vital to note that even if two trials showed the inferiority of
ketamine to ECT, all of them concluded that ketamine exhibits strong
antidepressant properties and may prove to be an effective treatment, especially
when ECT may be contraindicated, or patients are reluctant to it.
Keywords: Depression; major depressive disorder; ketamine; intravenous
ketamine; electroconvulsive therapy.