Ketamine for Chronic Pain

7 papers and 23 clinical trials exploring ketamine as a treatment for chronic pain.

CompoundArylcyclohexylamine

Ketamine

A dissociative anesthetic with rapid-acting antidepressant properties, widely used in clinical settings for mood and pain disorders.

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IndicationOver 1.5 billion worldwide.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is increasingly recognised as a multifaceted condition that may respond to psychedelic therapies, which are gaining attention in clinical settings for their potential efficacy in pain management. Recent research indicates that compounds such as psilocybin and MDMA are entering clinical trials aimed at exploring their therapeutic effects on chronic pain syndromes.

Full Chronic Pain profile

Academic Research

7 papers

Open Accessindividual

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy treatment of chronic pain and comorbid depression: a pilot study of two approaches

This observational pilot of ten people with chronic pain and comorbid major depressive disorder compared a high‑dose intramuscular "psychedelic" KAPT protocol with a low‑dose sublingual "psycholytic" protocol and found reductions in depression, pain, anxiety and PTSD symptoms overall, with larger and more consistent decreases in the psychedelic group though differences were not statistically significant given the small sample. The authors conclude KAPT may be beneficial for chronic pain/MDD comorbidity and recommend larger controlled trials to determine optimal dosing and administration.

Published: May 19, 2023
Journal: Frontiers in Pain Research
Authors: Batievsky, D., Kaplan, S. B., Maglione, D. N., Thase, M., Vidot, D. C., Weiner, M.

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A transdiagnostic systematic review and meta-analysis of ketamine's anxiolytic effects

This transdiagnostic meta-analysis of 14 randomised controlled trials (most with high risk of bias) found that ketamine produced significant anxiolytic effects versus placebo at acute (<12 h; SMD −1.17), subacute (24 h; SMD −0.44) and sustained (7–14 days; SMD −0.40) time points. Subacute and sustained anxiety improvements correlated with antidepressant effects but not with peak dissociation, suggesting ketamine provides rapid and 1–2 week anxiety relief across clinical settings.

Published: April 2, 2023
Journal: Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors: Alexander, L., Hartland, H., Jelen, L. A., Strawbridge, R., Young, A. H.

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Beating Pain with Psychedelics: Matter over Mind?

This review (2021) makes the case for using psychedelics to treat pain. Key areas discussed include studies that have directly used psychedelics to treat pain, potential neuro-restorative effects of psychedelics in pain-related states of consciousness, anti-neuroinflammatory and pro-immunomodulatory actions of psychedelics and the safety, legal, and ethical consideration inherent in psychedelics’ pharmacotherapy. Psychedelics could also help to elucidate the mechanism of pain syndromes.

Published: March 1, 2022
Journal: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Authors: Borsook, D., Elman, I., Pustilink, A.

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Case Report: Ketamine for Pain and Depression in Advanced Cancer

In a case report of a patient with advanced cancer, an intravenous ketamine infusion produced a rapid, dramatic reduction in neuropathic pain and resolution of severe depressive symptoms. This suggests ketamine may be a useful rapid-acting palliative option when conventional antidepressants are impractical due to limited prognosis.

Published: October 29, 2018
Journal: Journal of Palliative Medicine
Authors: Atayee, R., Bruner, H. C., Sexton, J. D.

Open Accessindividual

A retrospective study of ketamine administration and the development of acute or post-traumatic stress disorder in 274 war-wounded soldiers

In a retrospective analysis of 274 surviving war‑wounded soldiers from Afghanistan, ketamine administration was not independently associated with development of acute or post‑traumatic stress disorder; multivariable regression identified only acute stress disorder and total number of surgical procedures as independent predictors of PTSD. Although a higher proportion of PTSD cases had received ketamine on unadjusted analysis, injury severity and other covariables accounted for that association.

Published: October 3, 2017
Journal: Anaesthesia
Authors: Granier, C., Hoffmann, C., Masson, J. L., Mion, G.

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Efficacy and safety of oral ketamine versus diclofenac to alleviate mild to moderate depression in chronic pain patients: A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial

This double-blind study (n=40) compared the efficacy and safety of oral ketamine and diclofenac as treatments of mild to moderate depression over a 6-week treatment period and found that ketamine resulted in significant reductions of depression scores above those achieved by diclofenac.

Published: November 1, 2016
Journal: Journal of Affective Disorders
Authors: Afarideh, M., Agah, E., Akhondzadeh, S., Arbabi, M., Ghajar, A., Jafarinia, M., Noorbala, A. A., Saravi, M. A., Tafakhori, A.

Clinical Trials

23 trials

Not yet recruitingPhase I/II

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for Treating Comorbid Chronic Pain and PTSD

Open-label, randomised, parallel pilot RCT (n=30) comparing ketamine (0.5 mg/kg IV x4 over 2 weeks) plus MBCT versus MBCT alone for adults with comorbid chronic pain and PTSD.

Started: October 1, 2025
Type: interventional
Blinding: none
Randomized: Yes
Registry ID: NCT07009158

RecruitingPhase NA

Music as an Adjunct to Ketamine Therapy for Chronic Pain (MusKiP)

This open-label, randomised crossover trial (n=25) will investigate the effects of intravenous (IV) ketamine (35 mg/70 kg; 0.5 mg/kg over 1 hour) combined with self-selected music, therapist-selected music, or silence on chronic noncancer pain.

Started: June 1, 2025
Type: interventional
Blinding: none
Randomized: Yes
Registry ID: NCT06994559

RecruitingPhase I

Ketamine Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics for Postpartum Depression and Pain After Cesarean Delivery (PREPARE-2)

Phase I interventional study (n=50) comparing ketamine pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in postpartum cesarean patients versus healthy controls using a 12-hour infusion (0.18 mg/kg/hr x1 h loading then 0.05 mg/kg/hr x11 h maintenance).

Started: February 7, 2025
Type: interventional
Blinding: none
Randomized: No
Registry ID: NCT06767566

RecruitingPhase II

Ketamine-assisted Integrative Treatment for Veterans With Chronic Low Back Pain and Comorbid Depression

Pilot sequential study (n=44 planned; initial n=5 open-label pilot) assessing feasibility, acceptability, and safety of four twice-weekly IV ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg) followed by a brief narrative intervention versus minimally enhanced usual care in Veterans with chronic low back pain and depression.

Started: December 1, 2024
Type: interventional
Blinding: single
Randomized: Yes
Registry ID: NCT06419439

Unknown statusPhase NA

Dose Low Dose Ketamine in Casesarian

Prospective case-control observational study (n=150) comparing single-dose IV ketamine (0.5 mg/kg), ketamine plus midazolam, and saline placebo in patients undergoing caesarean section to evaluate postpartum depression and postoperative outcomes.

Started: June 1, 2024
Type: observational
Randomized: No
Registry ID: NCT06237569

Not yet recruitingPhase II

Ketamine HCl Prolonged Release Oral Tablets for CRPS

Open-label, single-group Phase II study (n=65) evaluating safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of Ketamine HCl PR tablets (start 40 mg BID; may increase to 80 mg BID) in adults with CRPS-related pain.

Started: June 1, 2024
Type: interventional
Blinding: none
Randomized: No
Registry ID: NCT06419985

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