Ketamine is often used in hospitals as an anaesthetic to help people relax or manage pain during medical procedures.
In recent years, it has also been used off-label by some doctors to treat chronic pain conditions like nerve pain, fibromyalgia, and complex regional pain syndrome.
This is because ketamine is part of a group of drugs known as NMDA receptor antagonists, which are thought to block certain brain signals involved in pain.
However, a new Cochrane review has found that there is not enough strong evidence to support the use of ketamine for long-term pain relief. The review was led by researchers from UNSW Sydney, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), and Brunel University of London.
They looked at 67 clinical trials involving over 2,300 adults to see whether ketamine and similar drugs helped with chronic pain.
The researchers studied five drugs in this group: ketamine, memantine, dextromethorphan, amantadine, and magnesium. They found no clear evidence that ketamine was effective in treating any chronic pain condition.
Instead, they noticed that people who took ketamine were more likely to have unpleasant side effects. These included feelings of confusion, seeing or hearing things that weren’t there, feeling paranoid, and experiencing nausea and vomiting. These side effects were especially common when ketamine was given through an IV.
Michael Ferraro, a doctoral candidate at UNSW and NeuRA and the first author of the review, explained that while the results don’t prove ketamine doesn’t work, they also don’t prove it does.
He said the data is too uncertain to make a clear judgment. The studies that were reviewed were small and often had flaws, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions.
The team also found that none of the studies looked at two important issues: whether ketamine helps reduce symptoms of depression and whether it lowers the need for opioid medications. This is important because ketamine is sometimes used with the hope that it can help with both pain and mood, especially in patients who rely on opioids.
Professor Neil O’Connell from Brunel University of London, a senior author of the review, said that ketamine and similar drugs are widely used to treat chronic pain, but there is still no solid proof they are effective. He stressed the need for high-quality clinical trials to find out whether these drugs really help.
Professor James McAuley, another senior author from UNSW and NeuRA, added that the medical community needs to be cautious.
He pointed out that opioids were once used widely for chronic pain, but this led to serious problems when their risks became more clear. He warned that a similar mistake could happen with ketamine if it is used too freely without enough supporting evidence.
The researchers hope that their review will help both patients and doctors make informed choices about using ketamine for chronic pain. While many people are looking for alternatives to opioids, it is important to make sure that new treatments are truly safe and effective.
This review highlights the need for better research before ketamine can be recommended widely for long-term pain management.
If you care about pain, please read studies about Scientists find a new way to manage knee pain and findings of Promising new drug offers hope for chronic nerve pain relief.
For more about pain, please read studies about Chronic morphine use for cancer pain may increase bone loss and findings of Scientists find a new hope for chronic pain.
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