Jackson, K., Ashby, M., Howell, D., Petersen, J., Brumley, D., Good, P., … Woodruff, R. (2010). The effectiveness and adverse effects profile of \"burst\" ketamine in refractory cancer pain: The VCOG PM 1-00 study. Journal of Palliative Care, 26(3), 176-183.
To assess the efficacy and adverse effects of a ketamine burst protocol for pain relief in patients with refractory pain
Patients received IV ketamine at three dose levels (100, 300, and 500 mg per 24 hours) over 3–5 days in inpatient palliative care settings. All other medications remained, and benzodiazepines or haloperidol could be used to minimize adverse psychotomimetic events. Maintenance doses of 24 opioids and breakthrough pain opioid dosing could be reduced as appropriate for pain control. Data were collected on pain scores and total opioid intake during ketamine infusions and for 48 hours post infusion.
This was a multisite study conducted in an inpatient setting in Australia.
This was an open-label, prospective study.
Patients were assessed based on the European Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Toxicity Criteria, and a pain verbal rating scale (which was not described).
Findings suggest that use of a ketamine burst infusion may be helpful for pain relief in some patients with cancer-related refractory pain.
In patients with pain that is not effectively controlled by other means, approaches such as ketamine infusions may have some benefit. More research in ketamine use is warranted. Although some patients responded and had a duration of effect as long as three months, 50% of patients did not respond as defined. Use of this approach requires hospitalization with continuous infusion and monitoring.