Depression in the workplace

depressed womanLow-dose intravenous infusions of ketamine, a general anesthetic used in minor surgeries, given over a long period are an effective treatment for depression, Mayo Clinic researchers found. The study is published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

About a decade ago researchers discovered that ketamine had the potential to alleviate severe depression. However, ketamine also can have serious psychiatric side effects, so studies have been exploring the safest way to use it.

“It’s surprising both that it works and how rapidly it has effects,” says co-author Timothy Lineberry, M.D., a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist. “It sometimes can work in hours to reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Our goal is to begin to determine how the drug can be administered safely in routine treatment.”

The researchers studied 10 patients with a severe depressive episode, either a major depressive disorder or a type of bipolar disorder, who had not found relief with at least two anti-depressant medications. The study shows that when ketamine infusions were given at the lower rate, they work as well as they do at higher infusion rates.

In the trial, patients were treated up to twice a week, up to four total treatments, with low-dose ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg total dose) given over 100 minutes until their depression lifted.

Researchers monitored side effects with two psychiatric scales, the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Eight of 10 patients showed at least 50 percent improvement. Five patients experienced complete remission of their depression, and four weeks after the study, two were still depression free.

In terms of side effects, one patient had brief and limited hallucinations, but others experienced only drowsiness or dizziness during the infusions.

One significant question that must still be addressed is determining which patients will respond best to the treatment.

“While patients and clinicians are excited about ketamine’s potential, we know that much more research lies ahead before we know which depressive conditions can be addressed with ketamine safely by clinicians in routine clinical practice,” Dr. Lineberry says.

Mayo Clinic

Stressed worker

A new study shines a light on depression in the workplace, suggesting that psychological stress at the office — or wherever people earn their paychecks — can make it more difficult for depressed workers to perform their jobs and be productive.

“There is a large economic cost and a human cost,” said study lead author Debra Lerner, Ph.D., director, Program on Health, Work and Productivity, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies at Tufts Medical Center.

“We need to develop and test programs that directly try to address the employment of people with depression.” [continue reading…]

Chronic disease interrupts work

depression1.jpgA report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that chronic diseases are associated with more days off work and/or being out of the workforce, and some of the biggest culprits are depression, arthritis and asthma.

The report, Chronic disease and participation in work, looked at selected chronic diseases to provide an estimate of the loss to the Australian economy due to reduced participation in work among people who have chronic disease.
Report author, Karen Bishop, said, ‘As one might expect, chronic diseases are associated with lower participation in the labour force and more missed days of work.’ [continue reading…]