Ketamine in chronic pain : a multicenter observational study

抄録

Background

Persistent pain is difficult to treat, and a range of evidence indicates that Ketamine may reduce neuropathic pain symptoms. Ketamine is also used in patients with fibromyalgia. Physicians have however no reliable guidelines for prescribing ketamine as its efficacy varies with studies, adverse events are reported but pharmacovigilance data are poor, no large observational study has been published so far and numerous dosages and routes of administration are used. This observational study aims at filling the gaps and evaluating the benefit- risk ratio of ketamine in Pain clinics patients.

Methods

A large observational study (NCT03319238) in 585 patients with chronic pain is being carried out in Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France. The aim is to evaluate the benefits and risks of ketamine in patients admitted for refractory pain in 30 French Pain clinics. Patients are followed-up for one year with visits and regular telephone contacts. Pain, adverse events, cognitivo-emotional parameters, sleep, hepatic profile, drug consumption, quality of life are recorded.

Results

All patients have been included, are followed and150 have finished the protocol so far. The results will be available for the WCP2018.

Discussion

Considering the rising use of ketamine in chronic pain, this study will bring useful information on the use of ketamine in real life and will allow to provide clinicians with guidelines for the use of ketamine in patients with pain refractory to all recommended treatments.