SynthesisJournal of neurology2024
The efficacy and safety of ketamine in the treatment of super-refractory status epilepticus: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Journal of neurology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Ketamine use in the refractory and super refractory status epilepticus: a systematic review.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Dual Antiglutamate Therapy in Super-Refractory Status Epilepticus After Cardiac Arrest (SUPER-CAT Study).Neurology · 2026Observational
- Ketamine in super-refractory status epilepticus: Combined value of inflammatory biomarkers and EEG features.Epilepsia · 2026Observational
- Ketamine Dosing Across Clinical Indications: A Narrative Review Organized by Proposed NMDA-Related Mechanisms.Journal of clinical pharmacology · 2026Review
- Combined Inhibition of TRPM4/NMDA Receptor Complex and Extrasynaptic NMDA Receptors Is Candidate Therapeutic Target for Suppression of Epileptic Seizures and Improvement of Cognitive Impairments.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2026Article
- Review
- Ketamine in Status Epilepticus: How Soon Is Now?Neurology international · 2025Review
- Hemorrhagic cystitis induced by intravenous esketamine in the treatment of new-onset refractory status epilepticus in children: a case report.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2025Article
- Treatment of convulsive status epilepticus in Brazil: a review.Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria · 2025Review
- Secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients with febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES): a case series.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundKetamine, as an anesthetic, has been considered for terminating status epilepticus (SE); however, due to the urgency and severity of the condition, there are currently no randomized controlled trials internationally assessing the efficacy of ketamine for treating super-refractory status epilepticus. Similarly, there appears to be a lack of systematic reviews addressing this topic in the literature. Therefore, this systematic review aims to explore the effectiveness and safety of ketamine for terminating super-refractory status epilepticus.
methodsWe conducted a systematic search on PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. Manuscripts unrelated to the research on super-refractory status epilepticus were excluded, as were manuscripts published in non-English languages. The quality assessment and risk of bias were evaluated using the MINORS criteria. Data extraction was limited to qualitative synthesis due to the unsuitability of the data for meta-analysis.
resultsOut of 782 studies retrieved from electronic databases, 11 met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 10 studies were retrospective, and 1 study was prospective. Patient data for inclusion were sourced from the case registries of the researchers' respective hospitals. Across all included studies, the administration of ketamine significantly reduced the duration of status epilepticus and demonstrated higher safety compared to patients not receiving ketamine treatment for super-refractory status epilepticus. Additionally, early administration of ketamine correlated with improved treatment outcomes. The risk of bias across all studies was deemed low.
conclusionThis systematic review suggests that ketamine may be a feasible treatment option for super-refractory status epilepticus. However, given the critical nature of super-refractory status epilepticus, clinicians should prioritize its termination over evaluating the efficacy of specific medications, ensuring patient safety remains paramount. If feasible in real-world medical settings, future research should focus on designing randomized controlled trials to observe the specific efficacy and mechanisms of ketamine. Careful validation is necessary before considering ketamine as a first-line treatment for super-refractory status epilepticus.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.