Fentanyl vs. Low-Dose Ketamine for the Relief of Moderate to Severe Pain in Aeromedical Patients

June 1, 2012 updated by: University of Utah
Often, patients transported by aeromedical systems do not receive enough medication to control and relieve their pain. The purpose of this study is to determine if pain treatment with intravenous (IV) ketamine is a better way to treat aeromedical patients' pain than the current treatment practices.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Withdrawn

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Specific Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy, side effects and safety of sub-dissociative doses of ketamine in controlling acute traumatic pain in patients transported by an aeromedical system when compared to standard doses of fentanyl.

Research Hypothesis: Aeromedical transport patients with acute pain treated with intravenous ketamine show a clinically significant difference in mean numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores as compared to those treated with fentanyl and show no increase in adverse events.

Background and Significance: Treatment of acute pain in aeromedical transport patients is important. Treatment may be limited by real or perceived concerns regarding analgesic side effects including sedation, loss of airway maintenance, and negative hemodynamic consequences. Ketamine used in sub-dissociative doses has strong analgesic properties while maintaining protective airway reflexes and demonstrating minimal adverse hemodynamic effects. It has been suggested as an ideal pre-hospital analgesic. Current literature regarding its use in the pre-hospital environment is limited.

Experimental Design: This prospective, double-blind, randomized trial compares 0.3 mg/kg of intravenous (IV) ketamine to 1 mcg/kg of IV fentanyl in adult aeromedical transport patients who require pain control. The primary outcome measure will be the change in NRS pain scores at ten minutes compared between the two groups. Secondary endpoints will include rates of adverse events, differences in the slope of NRS scores over time, the total amount of fentanyl/kg body weight/minute of flight required, overall research participant satisfaction with their level of pain relief at the end of the flight, and the subjective ranking of pain recall in comparison to other aspects of the patient's overall episode of care (pre-hospital, emergency department, inpatient, and post-discharge care), as measured at 30 days.

Data Analysis: Categorical variables will be analyzed using chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Means of normally distributed variables will be compared using Student's t-test, and distributions of non-normally distributed variables will be compared using Mann-Whitney U. Bayesian generalized linear mixed modeling will be employed to model the time-dependent change in NRS scores between intervention groups while accounting for the autocorrelation inherent in a repeated measures design. SAS statistical software (SAS v. 9.2, Cary, NC) and WinBUGS software will be used for all analyses.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Utah
      • Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84132
        • University of Utah Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age > 18 years
  • Moderate to severe acute, traumatic pain (self-reported NRS > 5)
  • Ability to provide informed consent in English
  • Flight destination to University of Utah Medical Center

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to use the NRS pain rating scale
  • Historical or acute myocardial infarction or ischemia
  • Ongoing hypertensive emergency
  • Unconsciousness
  • Allergic reaction to ketamine
  • Increased intracranial or intraocular pressure
  • Known pregnancy
  • Prisoner

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Ketamine
Subjects receive 0.3 mg/kg IV ketamine over 5 minutes and are evaluated every 10 minutes. Residual or recurring pain will be treated as needed with adjunctive open-label bolus dosing of IV fentanyl (1 mcg/kg) followed by repeat boluses as needed every 10 minutes during the flight. For this open-label portion of the flight, subjects are asked if they need additional pain medication every 10 minutes, unless an earlier, spontaneous request is made by the subject or the provider determines that more is needed. For the potential of rare ketamine side effects (dysphoria, anxiety, or agitation), 2 mg IV midazolam is given every 5 minutes as needed for any of these symptoms. Vital signs are measured continuously throughout the protocol. Blood pressure is measured at 5 minute intervals.
Drug: Ketamine
Subjects receive 0.3 mg/kg IV ketamine over 5 minutes and are evaluated every 10 minutes. Residual or recurring pain will be treated as needed with adjunctive open-label bolus dosing of IV fentanyl (1 mcg/kg) followed by repeat boluses as needed every 10 minutes during the flight. For this open-label portion of the flight, subjects are asked if they need additional pain medication every 10 minutes, unless an earlier, spontaneous request is made by the subject or the provider determines that more is needed. For the potential of rare ketamine side effects (dysphoria, anxiety, or agitation), 2 mg IV midazolam is given every 5 minutes as needed for any of these symptoms. Vital signs are measured continuously throughout the protocol. Blood pressure is measured at 5 minute intervals.
Other Names:
  • Ketalar
  • Ketamine hydrochloride
Active Comparator: Fentanyl
Subjects receive 1 mcg/kg IV fentanyl over 5 minutes. After first dose administration, subjects are evaluated every 10 minutes. Residual or recurring pain is treated as needed with adjunctive open-label bolus dosing of IV fentanyl (1 mcg/kg) followed by repeat boluses as needed every 10 minutes during the flight. For this open-label portion of the flight, flight nurses will query participants regarding their desire for additional pain medication every 10 minutes unless an earlier, spontaneous request is made by the participant or the provider determines that more is needed. Vital signs are measured continuously throughout the protocol. Blood pressure is measured at 5 minute intervals.
Drug: Fentanyl
Subjects receive 1 mcg/kg IV fentanyl over 5 minutes. After first dose administration, subjects are evaluated every 10 minutes. Residual or recurring pain is treated as needed with adjunctive open-label bolus dosing of IV fentanyl (1 mcg/kg) followed by repeat boluses as needed every 10 minutes during the flight. For this open-label portion of the flight, flight nurses will query participants regarding their desire for additional pain medication every 10 minutes unless an earlier, spontaneous request is made by the participant or the provider determines that more is needed. Vital signs are measured continuously throughout the protocol. Blood pressure is measured at 5 minute intervals.
Other Names:
  • Sublimaze
  • Fentanil
  • Durogesic
  • Actiq
  • Fentora
  • Onsolis
  • Instanyl
  • Duragesic

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in NRS pain scores
Time Frame: Assessed every 6 months.
The primary outcome measure will be the change in NRS pain scores at ten minutes compared between the subjects administered ketamine and those administered fentanyl.
Assessed every 6 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rates of adverse events
Time Frame: Assessed every 6 months
Includes comparisons of clinically significant complications between the two regimens: post-administration respiratory depression as evidenced by either a step up in supplemental oxygen requirements or the need for an airway intervention; episodes of hypotension or hypertension; significant tachycardia; new subjective participant complaints of dysphoria, anxiety, or agitation at any time following drug administration.
Assessed every 6 months
Change in NRS pain scores over time
Time Frame: 24 months from start of enrollment
Evaluate the differences in the slope of the NRS pain scores over time.
24 months from start of enrollment
Amount of fentanyl required
Time Frame: 24 months from start of enrollment
Measurement of the total amount of fentanyl/kg body weight/minute of flight that was required to treat patients' pain.
24 months from start of enrollment
Participant satisfaction
Time Frame: 24 months from start of enrollment
Overall research participant satisfaction with their level of pain relief at the end of the flight.
24 months from start of enrollment
Pain Recall
Time Frame: 24 months from start of enrollment
The subjective ranking of pain recall in comparison to other aspects of the patient's overall episode of care (pre-hospital, emergency department, inpatient, and post-discharge care), as measured at 30 days.
24 months from start of enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Utah

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Scott T Youngquist, MD, MS, University of Utah

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2014

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 7, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 22, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 23, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 4, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 1, 2012

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB_00040229

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