Comparison of Nebulized Ketamine to Intravenous Sub-Dissociative Dose Ketamine for Pain

About This Study

Ketamine is a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)/glutamate receptor complex antagonist that decreases pain by diminishing central sensitization, hyperalgesia, and "wind-up" phenomenon at the level of the spinal cord (dorsal ganglion) and central nervous system (1). Ketamine administration in sub-dissociative doses (SDK) of 0.1-0.3 mg/kg in pre-hospital settings and in the ED results in effective pain relief in patients with acute traumatic and non-traumatic pain, chronic non-cancer and cancer pain, and in patients with opioid-tolerant pain by virtue of providing anti-hyperalgesia, anti-allodynia, and anti-tolerance (2-4). Two commonly utilized routes of SDK administration in the ED include an intravenous route (intravenous push dose or short infusion) and intranasal route. In the situation when intravenous access is not readily available or unobtainable, and intranasal route is not feasible, another non-invasive route of ketamine administration such as inhalation via Breath-Actuated Nebulizer (BAN) is coming into the play. The BAN allows a controlled patient-initiated delivery of analgesics in titratable fashion. Nebulized administration of ketamine has been studied in the areas of acute postoperative pain management (post-intubational sore throat), in anesthesia (pre-medication for general anesthesia,) and in managing cancer pain, and status asthmaticus therapy. However, our research team has published a case series of 5 patients receiving nebulized ketamine for a variety of acute painful conditions and has recently completed a randomized double-blind trial of 120 adult patients that evaluated analgesic efficacy and safety of nebulized ketamine at three different dosing regimens for acute pain in the ED. Currently, we are conducting two additional studies evaluating the role of nebulized ketamine in pediatric ED and pre-hospital arena. In this study the investigators hypothesize that intravenous sub-dissociative-dose ketamine of 0.3 mg/kg will provide better analgesia at 30 min post-medication administration in comparison to nebulized ketamine administered at 0.75 mg/kg. The primary outcome of this trial is the comparative reduction in participant's pain scores at 30 minutes post medication administration.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• •Ketamine via Intravenous
• •Ketamine via BAN

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* ED patients
* Patients 18 years of age
* acute and chronic painful conditions
* pain with a score of 5 or more on a standard 11- point (0 to 10) numeric rating scale.
* Patients will have to be awake, alert, and oriented to person, place, and time,
* Be able to demonstrate understanding of the informed consent process and content.
* Patients also will have to demonstrate ability to verbalize the nature of any adverse effects they might experience as well as to express their pain severity by using the NRS.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Altered mental status,
* allergy to ketamine,
* pregnant patients,
* weight greater than 150 kg,
* unstable vital signs (systolic blood pressure \<90 or\>180 mm Hg, pulse rate \<50 or \>150 beats/min, and respiration rate \<10 or \>30 breaths/min),
* inability to provide consent,
* past medical history of alcohol or drug abuse, or schizophrenia.

Study Locations (1)