CompletedN/Aketamine

Effect of Ketamine, Amitriptyline and Their Combination on Itch

NCT ID

NCT06245564

Target Enrollment

30 participants

Start Date

2024-08-20

Est. Completion

2024-12-31

About This Study

Chronic itch affects approximately a fifth of the global population and is associated with substantial negative consequences for the affected individuals. Furthermore, there is a lack of efficient treat-ment options for chronic itch. Topical ketamine cream has been used successfully to relieve various forms of pain, and we hypothesize that topical ketamine relieves itch through a mechanism of action comparable to that in pain relief. The aim of this project is to evaluate the effects of ketamine both alone and in combination with amitriptyline on histaminergic and non-histaminergic itch induced by histamine and cowhage, respectively.

Conditions Studied

Itch

Interventions

•Ketamine 0.5%
•Amitriptyline
•ketamine + amitriptyline
•Vehicle
•Histamine
•Cowhage

Eligibility

Age:18 Years - 60 Years

Healthy Volunteers:Yes

View full eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy men and women
* 18-60 years
* Speak and understand English

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy or lactation
* Drug addiction defined as any use of cannabis, opioids, or other drugs
* Previous or current history of neurological, dermatological, immunological, musculoskeletal, cardiac disorder or mental illnesses (psychiatric diagnosis) that may affect the results (e.g., neuropathy, muscular pain in the upper extremities, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia etc.)
* Moles, wounds, scars, or tattoos in the area to be treated or tested
* Current use of medications that may affect the trial such as antihistamines and pain killers.
* Participants had known allergy/discomfort to ketamine or amitriptyline
* Skin diseases
* Consumption of alcohol or painkillers 24 hours before the study days and between these
* Acute or chronic pain and itch
* Participation in other trials within 1 week of study entry (4 weeks in the case of pharmaceutical studies)
* Lack of ability to cooperate

Study Locations (1)

Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University

Gistrup, Aalborg, Denmark