A pediatric trial found increased somnolence with a ketamine-midazolam regimen without a significant improvement in reported procedural pain.
The single-blinded study included 87 children in a resource-limited cancer department, with 29 in each of three groups. Children received low-dose oral ketamine, ketamine plus midazolam, or placebo alongside the hospital’s usual procedural pain treatment. Pain ratings from children, caregivers, and doctors showed no significant between-group difference.
Somnolence was recorded in 69% of the combined-treatment group, 35% of the ketamine group, and 14% of the placebo group. That pattern supports a distinction between becoming sleepy and experiencing less pain. The small study, oral doses, accompanying care, and particular procedure limit broader conclusions. The authors considered the ketamine dose potentially insufficient. The null pain result does not establish that all ketamine regimens fail, but the study does not justify describing this benzodiazepine-containing regimen as proven effective analgesia.
Original analysis of the supplied journal article, identified as PMC6812415.