Daly EJ, Turkoz I, Salvadore G, et al. -

Studies have generally described a correlation of comorbid anxiety with poorer response to antidepressant treatment. Via this post hoc analysis, researchers sought to determine the efficacy of esketamine plus an antidepressant in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) with or without comorbid anxiety. In TRANSFORM-2, a double-blind, flexible-dose, 4-week study (NCT02418585), adults with TRD were randomized to placebo or esketamine nasal spray, each with a newly-initiated oral antidepressant. Comorbid anxiety was evident in nearly 72% (162/223) of patients at baseline. As per outcomes, esketamine plus an oral antidepressant was supported as efficacious in patients with TRD, regardless of comorbid anxiety.