Major Depressive DisorderPhase 2NCT02078817
Ketamine in Adolescents With Treatment-Resistant Depression
A Phase 2 study testing Ketamine in people with Major Depressive Disorder, run by University of Minnesota at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will test the use of ketamine for treatment of depression in adolescents that have not responded to other treatments. We will also examine neurobiological mechanisms of treatment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Major Depressive Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Ketamine
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 14 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Sep 2014to Mar 2018
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male and female adolescents aged 12 to 18 years.
- Presence of recurrent major depression without psychotic features confirmed by the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia - Parent and Lifetime Version (Kaufman et al., 1997).
- Current depression severity measured by the Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS) (Poznanski, 1985) raw score greater than or equal to 36 at screening and the day ketamine is due to be received for the first time.
- Current depressive episode resistant to treatment, defined as failure to achieve remission (elimination of symptoms and restoration of pre-morbid psychosocial functioning) from at least 2 antidepressant trials of different pharmacological classes. Systematic evaluation of previous antidepressant trials will be assessed by using the Antidepressant Treatment History Form (Sackeim, 2001).
- If present, current antidepressant medication treatment must be dose stable for at least 2 months prior to beginning the study. (Patients will continue with current antidepressant treatment throughout the study. Based on our experience in current research at the VA Medical Center using serial ketamine for adult TRD, patients have shown positive results while continuing their current antidepressant treatment.)
Who cannot join
- Inability to speak English
- Inability or unwillingness to provide written informed consent
- A history of Mental Retardation or any Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Current or lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis Not Otherwise Specified.
- Family history with a first degree relative with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis Not Otherwise Specified.
- Diagnosis of seizures or other neurological disorders.
Show all 11Show fewer
- Comorbid diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence, current or past.
- Clinically unstable medical illness.
- Current use of the following medications: any barbiturates, any narcotics, any non-benzodiazepine hypnotics at doses higher than zolpidem 10 mg qhs or equivalent for insomnia.
- For women: pregnancy (confirmed by baseline lab test).
- The presence of any MRI contra-indications such as MRI-incompatible metals in the body or claustrophobia.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55454
About this study
Official title: Open-Label Intravenous Subanesthetic Ketamine for Adolescents With Treatment-Resistant Depression
This study will test the use of ketamine for treatment of depression in adolescents that have not responded to other treatments. We will also examine neurobiological mechanisms of treatment.
Read the detailed description
Depression frequently emerges during adolescence and is associated with severe outcomes. Current interventions do not lead to remission for many adolescents. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in adolescence is an ominous prognostic indicator for a lifetime of suffering and increased risk for suicide. Efforts should be directed toward novel interventions that could alter this perilous course. Theoretically, restoration of healthy development during this critical window would substantially improve outcomes over the lifespan.
Ketamine is a noncompetitive, high-affinity antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate type glutamate receptor that has long been used for induction and maintenance of anesthesia in children and adults, and recently has been investigated for its rapid antidepressant effects. Randomized, double-blind, saline-controlled trials in adults with TRD have demonstrated that a single, subanesthetic infusion of intravenous (IV) ketamine at 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes can produce a rapid (within 2 hours) antidepressant response (Ibrahim et al., 2011; Zarate et al., 2006). Recent evidence suggests that serial doses of ketamine may be even more effective and may lead to more prolonged remission (aan het Rot et al., 2010; Murrough et al., 2012). Our current research at using serial dosing of IV ketamine among adult veterans with TRD over a 2-week period has shown promising results, with a response rate of 92% among the 12 participants to date.
No results from any studies examining effectiveness of either single-dose or serial-dose ketamine have yet been published in adolescents with TRD. Because of the ongoing neurodevelopment in adolescence, which is thought to confer enhanced neuroplasticity, it is possible that adolescents with TRD could show greater responses and more sustained remission than adults with TRD. The biological mechanisms of depression impacted by ketamine are only now being uncovered in adults (Zarate et al., 2013). Characterization of the neural mechanisms underlying ketamine response or non-response in adolescents with TRD will represent a significant advance. The specific aims of this preliminary study are as follows:
Aim #1: To determine the efficacy of repeated-dose subanesthetic IV ketamine among adolescent patients with TRD.
Hypothesis: Based on previous results in adults with TRD, we predict that response rates will improve over the course of six treatments of ketamine.
Aim #2: To explore durability of antidepressant response to repeated dose of IV ketamine in a 4-week observational period.
Hypothesis: Based on the inherent neuroplasticity in adolescence due to ongoing neurodevelopment, adolescents may show a more durable clinical response than has been seen in adults.
Aim #3: To study the neurobiological mechanisms of response to ketamine. We will examine relevant biological systems using several different brain imaging indices and measures of intracellular functioning from peripheral blood.
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Being tested
- Ketamine
- Keywords
- Treatment-resistant
- Medical subject headings
- Depressive Disorder, Major
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
KetamineDrug
IV infusions of 0.5mg/kg of Ketamine hydrochloride over a 40-minute infusion period. Participants will receive a total of 6 doses over a 2-week period.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| ketamine | Experimental | Intravenous ketamine 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes will be given 6 times over 2 weeks. Receives: Drug: Ketamine |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of Responders Measured by Clinical Global Impression (CGI)
Responders will be defined as those with CGI ratings (given by the study clinician) of 1 or 2 (much or very much improved). Patients that are given a scores of 3-7 (minimally improved to very much worse) will be considered non-responders.
Measured: 2 weeks
Secondary outcomes (8)
Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised
The CDRS-R measure is given in interview form to child and parent separately. A consensus is then created with best-estimate for 17 items (each with a range of 1-5 or 1-7) using both sources of information. The total score is the sum of 17 item scores, ranging from 17-113 with higher scores indicating greater depression symptoms.
Measured: 2 weeks
Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
MADRS is a 10-item clinician-administered inventory measuring depression symptoms. Items are scored on a scare from 0 (none) to 6 (constant). Total scores are a sum of the 10 item scores, ranging from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.
Measured: 2 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
BDI-II is a 21-item self-report multiple-choice inventory that assesses the severity of depressive symptoms over the prior week. Items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 to 3. Total scores are a sum of the 21 item scores ranging from 0 to 63. Higher scores indicate more severe depression symptoms.
Measured: 2 weeks
Change in Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS)
CADSS is a 27-item instrument measuring symptoms of dissociative stress, with 19 items completed by the patient and 8 items completed by the clinician. Items are rated on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 4 (extreme). Total scores are a sum of the 27 item scores and range from 0 to 108, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.
Measured: baseline, 2 weeks
Maximum Change in Systolic Blood Pressure
Vital signs were measured every 15 minutes, starting from the beginning of the infusion and ending 2 hours after the infusion ended (2 hours, 40 minutes total). Maximum increase of blood pressure compared to baseline was calculated.
Measured: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Maximum Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure
Measured: baseline, 45 minutes post infusion
Maximum Change in Heart Rate
Measured: 4 hours
Maximum Decrease in Pulse Oximetry
Measured: 4 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Mar 2014 (estimated)
- Study startSep 2014
- Primary completionMar 2018
- Study completionMar 2018
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Major Depressive DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of MinnesotaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 14 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Minnesota
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02078817
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 22225
- Status last verified
- Jan 2020
- First submitted
- 27 Feb 2014
- Last updated
- 27 Jan 2020
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Roy AV, Thai M, Klimes-Dougan B, Westlund Schreiner M, Mueller BA, Albott CS, Lim KO, Fiecas M, Tye SJ, Cullen KR. Brain entropy and neurotrophic molecular markers accompanying clinical improvement after ketamine: Preliminary evidence in adolescents with treatment-resistant depression. J Psychopharmacol. 2021 Feb;35(2):168-177. doi: 10.1177/0269881120928203. Epub 2020 Jul 9.
PubMed 32643995
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Jan 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Open-Label Intravenous Subanesthetic Ketamine for Adolescents With Treatment-Resistant Depression
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02078817
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 22225
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Keywords
- Treatment-resistant
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 14 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of MinnesotaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Sep 2014
- Primary completion
- Mar 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2018 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Mar 2014 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 27 Jan 2020
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will test the use of ketamine for treatment of depression in adolescents that have not responded to other treatments. We will also examine neurobiological mechanisms of treatment.
Detailed description
Depression frequently emerges during adolescence and is associated with severe outcomes. Current interventions do not lead to remission for many adolescents. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in adolescence is an ominous prognostic indicator for a lifetime of suffering and increased risk for suicide. Efforts should be directed toward novel interventions that could alter this perilous course. Theoretically, restoration of healthy development during this critical window would substantially improve outcomes over the lifespan.
Ketamine is a noncompetitive, high-affinity antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate type glutamate receptor that has long been used for induction and maintenance of anesthesia in children and adults, and recently has been investigated for its rapid antidepressant effects. Randomized, double-blind, saline-controlled trials in adults with TRD have demonstrated that a single, subanesthetic infusion of intravenous (IV) ketamine at 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes can produce a rapid (within 2 hours) antidepressant response (Ibrahim et al., 2011; Zarate et al., 2006). Recent evidence suggests that serial doses of ketamine may be even more effective and may lead to more prolonged remission (aan het Rot et al., 2010; Murrough et al., 2012). Our current research at using serial dosing of IV ketamine among adult veterans with TRD over a 2-week period has shown promising results, with a response rate of 92% among the 12 participants to date.
No results from any studies examining effectiveness of either single-dose or serial-dose ketamine have yet been published in adolescents with TRD. Because of the ongoing neurodevelopment in adolescence, which is thought to confer enhanced neuroplasticity, it is possible that adolescents with TRD could show greater responses and more sustained remission than adults with TRD. The biological mechanisms of depression impacted by ketamine are only now being uncovered in adults (Zarate et al., 2013). Characterization of the neural mechanisms underlying ketamine response or non-response in adolescents with TRD will represent a significant advance. The specific aims of this preliminary study are as follows:
Aim #1: To determine the efficacy of repeated-dose subanesthetic IV ketamine among adolescent patients with TRD.
Hypothesis: Based on previous results in adults with TRD, we predict that response rates will improve over the course of six treatments of ketamine.
Aim #2: To explore durability of antidepressant response to repeated dose of IV ketamine in a 4-week observational period.
Hypothesis: Based on the inherent neuroplasticity in adolescence due to ongoing neurodevelopment, adolescents may show a more durable clinical response than has been seen in adults.
Aim #3: To study the neurobiological mechanisms of response to ketamine. We will examine relevant biological systems using several different brain imaging indices and measures of intracellular functioning from peripheral blood.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| ketamine | Experimental | Drug: KetamineIntravenous ketamine 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes will be given 6 times over 2 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Male and female adolescents aged 12 to 18 years.
- Presence of recurrent major depression without psychotic features confirmed by the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia - Parent and Lifetime Version (Kaufman et al., 1997).
- Current depression severity measured by the Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS) (Poznanski, 1985) raw score greater than or equal to 36 at screening and the day ketamine is due to be received for the first time.
- Current depressive episode resistant to treatment, defined as failure to achieve remission (elimination of symptoms and restoration of pre-morbid psychosocial functioning) from at least 2 antidepressant trials of different pharmacological classes. Systematic evaluation of previous antidepressant trials will be assessed by using the Antidepressant Treatment History Form (Sackeim, 2001).
- If present, current antidepressant medication treatment must be dose stable for at least 2 months prior to beginning the study. (Patients will continue with current antidepressant treatment throughout the study. Based on our experience in current research at the VA Medical Center using serial ketamine for adult TRD, patients have shown positive results while continuing their current antidepressant treatment.)
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Inability to speak English
- Inability or unwillingness to provide written informed consent
- A history of Mental Retardation or any Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Current or lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis Not Otherwise Specified.
- Family history with a first degree relative with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis Not Otherwise Specified.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| KetamineIV infusions of 0.5mg/kg of Ketamine hydrochloride over a 40-minute infusion period. Participants will receive a total of 6 doses over a 2-week period. | Drug | ketamine |
Primary outcome
Number of Responders Measured by Clinical Global Impression (CGI)
Time frame: 2 weeks
Responders will be defined as those with CGI ratings (given by the study clinician) of 1 or 2 (much or very much improved). Patients that are given a scores of 3-7 (minimally improved to very much worse) will be considered non-responders.
8 secondary outcomes
Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised
Time frame: 2 weeks
Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
Time frame: 2 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Time frame: 2 weeks
Change in Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS)
Time frame: baseline, 2 weeks
Maximum Change in Systolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Maximum Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: baseline, 45 minutes post infusion
Maximum Change in Heart Rate
Time frame: 4 hours
Maximum Decrease in Pulse Oximetry
Time frame: 4 hours
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Jan 2020.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 32643995Roy AV, Thai M, Klimes-Dougan B, Westlund Schreiner M, Mueller BA, Albott CS, Lim KO, Fiecas M, Tye SJ, Cullen KR. Brain entropy and neurotrophic molecular markers accompanying clinical improvement after ketamine: Preliminary evidence in adolescents with treatment-resistant depression. J Psychopharmacol. 2021 Feb;35(2):168-177. doi: 10.1177/0269881120928203. Epub 2020 Jul 9.
Related trials for Major Depressive Disorder
Not yet recruiting
Preventive and Personalized Digital Emotion Regulation Skills Intervention to Reduce Depression and Anxiety in Youths With Adverse Childhood Experiences
Adverse Childhood Experience, Depression / Major Depressive Disorder
RecruitingPhase 4
Biomarker-Guided Antidepressant Selection
Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Treatment-resistant Depression (TRD)
Recruiting
Targeting Network Dysfunction in Apathy of Late-life Depression Using Digital Therapeutics
Major Depressive Disorder, Apathy
RecruitingObservational study
Student Precarity and Psychiatry
Depressive Disorder, Major, Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Not yet recruiting
Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy for Depression
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Ketamine in people with Major Depressive Disorder, run by University of Minnesota at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Jan 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 27 Jan 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of Responders Measured by Clinical Global Impression (CGI) (time frame: 2 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02078817, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Jan 2020.