Publication: Case Report: Effectiveness Of Brexpiprazole And Esketamine/ketamine Combination: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy In Five Cases Of Treatment-resistant Depression
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A
Abstract
A significant proportion of patients with treatment-resistant depression do not attain functional recovery despite administration of multiple steps of pharmacotherapeutic strategies. This highlights the elusiveness of meeting unmet needs in existing pharmacotherapies for treatment-resistant depression. There is accumulating evidence that antidepressant agents involving the glutamatergic system such as brexpiprazole and esketamine/ketamine have more rapid onset of action and potentially improved effectiveness as an augmentation therapy in treatment-resistant depression. This case series aimed to report five complex cases of unipolar and bipolar treatment-resistant depression where conventional treatment strategies were inadequate in managing high risk suicidal behavior and achieving functional recovery. We discussed further the possible synergistic mechanisms of the novel combination strategy of brexpiprazole and esketamine/ketamine, clinical and patient factors that influenced treatment response, challenges with this combination strategy and implications for future practice and research.
Description
Front. Psychiatry, 22 July 2022
Sec. Psychopharmacology
Keywords
treatment-resistant depression, effectiveness, ketamine, brexpiprazole, esketamine
Citation
Chan LF, Woon LS-C, Mohd Shukor NA, Eu CL, Ismail N, Chin SJ, Nik Jaafar NR and Baharudin A (2022) Case report: Effectiveness of brexpiprazole and esketamine/ketamine combination: A novel therapeutic strategy in five cases of treatment-resistant depression. Front. Psychiatry 13:890099. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.890099