Patient Experience with Intranasal Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Insights from a Multicentric Italian Study (REAL-ESKperience)

<b>Background</b>. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a prevalent, high-burden disorder. Esketamine nasal spray (ESK-NS) has been approved for, T.R.D.; and efficacy has been observed in both clinical trials and real-world studies. However, observations integrating patients' perspective on this treatment are limited. This multicentric Italian study explored experiences with ESK-NS in TRD patients, focusing on perceived therapeutic effects and overall satisfaction. <b>Methods</b>. A self-report survey was administered to 236 outpatients with TRD (55.1% females, 54.1 ± 14.1 years) treated with ESK-NS for at least three consecutive months within standard clinical care. Based on satisfaction levels, participants were classified as "unsatisfied" (10.2%), "partially satisfied" (19.1%), "satisfied" (44.4%), or "very satisfied" (26.3%), and compared for sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and feedback on perceived benefits. Artificial intelligence (OpenAI) served to categorize responses to an open-ended question. <b>Results</b>. Enhanced quality of life was reported by 88.4% of participants. Significant differences emerged in earliest self-perceived benefits, most relevant effects, and impact on global functioning across groups. Specifically, "very satisfied" patients described the following: early improvements in depressed mood, suicidal thoughts, and restlessness; decreased suicidal thoughts among the most significant effects; and functional gains across all domains. OpenAI identified experiences of personal growth and rediscovery and a desire for tailored settings and approaches as recurring topics. <b>Conclusions</b>. Most patients reported a positive perception of ESK-NS treatment. The most satisfied participants highlighted significant benefits to depressed mood, suicidal thoughts, and overall functioning. Patient-reported experiences offer insights into different psychopathological dimensions, including functional outcomes and quality of life. Integrating these perspectives into clinical practice might assist treatment personalization, improving patients' adherence and satisfaction.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Personalized Medicine
Published
2025-04-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm15040161
Citations
15
Primary Topic
Treatment of Major Depression
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
20.92

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article

Patient Experience with Intranasal Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Insights from a Multicentric Italian Study (REAL-ESKperience)

Giuseppe Maina, Cinzia Niolu, Ileana Andriola, Marco Di Nicola et al.
15 citations
Journal of Personalized Medicine
Treatment of Major Depression
20.92
article

Patient Experience with Intranasal Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Insights from a Multicentric Italian Study (REAL-ESKperience)

Giuseppe Maina, Cinzia Niolu, Ileana Andriola, Marco Di Nicola, Sergio Barlati, Ilaria Marcelli, Matteo Vismara, Matteo Marcatili, Raffaella Zanardi, Mauro Pettorruso, Massimo Clerici, Sergio De Filippis, Antonio Vita, Maria Salvina Signorelli, Gianluca Rosso, Vassilis Martiadis, Mirko Manchia, Tommaso Vannucchi, Gabriele Sani, Domenico De Berardis, Maria Pepe, Bernardo Maria Dell’Osso, Giovanni Martinotti, Gianluca Serafini, Giorgio Di Lorenzo, Matteo Carminati, Giacomo d’Andrea, A. Petralia, Carlo Ignazio Cattaneo
article en
15 citations

Abstract

<b>Background</b>. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a prevalent, high-burden disorder. Esketamine nasal spray (ESK-NS) has been approved for, T.R.D.; and efficacy has been observed in both clinical trials and real-world studies. However, observations integrating patients' perspective on this treatment are limited. This multicentric Italian study explored experiences with ESK-NS in TRD patients, focusing on perceived therapeutic effects and overall satisfaction. <b>Methods</b>. A self-report survey was administered to 236 outpatients with TRD (55.1% females, 54.1 ± 14.1 years) treated with ESK-NS for at least three consecutive months within standard clinical care. Based on satisfaction levels, participants were classified as "unsatisfied" (10.2%), "partially satisfied" (19.1%), "satisfied" (44.4%), or "very satisfied" (26.3%), and compared for sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and feedback on perceived benefits. Artificial intelligence (OpenAI) served to categorize responses to an open-ended question. <b>Results</b>. Enhanced quality of life was reported by 88.4% of participants. Significant differences emerged in earliest self-perceived benefits, most relevant effects, and impact on global functioning across groups. Specifically, "very satisfied" patients described the following: early improvements in depressed mood, suicidal thoughts, and restlessness; decreased suicidal thoughts among the most significant effects; and functional gains across all domains. OpenAI identified experiences of personal growth and rediscovery and a desire for tailored settings and approaches as recurring topics. <b>Conclusions</b>. Most patients reported a positive perception of ESK-NS treatment. The most satisfied participants highlighted significant benefits to depressed mood, suicidal thoughts, and overall functioning. Patient-reported experiences offer insights into different psychopathological dimensions, including functional outcomes and quality of life. Integrating these perspectives into clinical practice might assist treatment personalization, improving patients' adherence and satisfaction.

Journal of Personalized MedicineVol. 15(4)
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT), University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT), University of Teramo (IT), Dalhousie University (CA), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (IT), University of Cagliari (IT), Regione Campania (IT), Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic (IT), University of Catania (IT), University of Chieti-Pescara (IT), Ospedale degli Infermi (IT), Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale degli Spedali Civili di Brescia (IT), Azienda Ospedaliera San Gerardo (IT), Villa Melitta (IT), Ospedale Policlinico San Martino (IT), Fondazione Santa Lucia (IT), Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico San Raffaele (IT), University of Bari Aldo Moro (IT), University of Milano-Bicocca (IT), University of Brescia (IT), University of Genoa (IT)
Università di Catania, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Università degli Studi di Brescia
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Treatment of Major Depression
20.92
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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