Intranasal esketamine plus oral antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression: acute induction and maintenance relapse-prevention outcomes in a systematic review and meta-analysis - Takeaways - MDSpire

Intranasal esketamine plus oral antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression: acute induction and maintenance relapse-prevention outcomes in a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • By

  • Jingqiang Xie

  • Chunying Pu

  • Mingyue Sun

  • July 3, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    Intranasal esketamine combined with an oral antidepressant shows greater symptom reduction in treatment-resistant depression compared to placebo.

  • 2

    Rapid improvement in depression symptoms was observed as early as day 2 of treatment with intranasal esketamine.

  • 3

    Esketamine significantly reduces relapse risk during maintenance treatment in stabilized responders and remitters.

  • 4

    The use of esketamine is associated with increased rates of treatment-emergent adverse events, particularly dissociation and blood pressure increases.

  • 5

    Maintenance treatment with esketamine shows similar rates of treatment-emergent adverse events compared to placebo.

Original Source(s)

Intranasal esketamine plus oral antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression: acute induction and maintenance relapse-prevention outcomes in a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • by Jingqiang Xie, Chunying Pu, Mingyue Sun

  • July 3, 2026

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