Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40395937›Full record

Trial reportJournal of pain research2025

Analgesic and Hemodynamic Effects of Dexmedetomidine-Ketamine vs Fentanyl-Ketamine in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized Trial.

Maja Green, Amie C Hayley, Luke A Downey, Michael Keane, Michaela Elise Kenneally, Krishnan Chakravarthy, Yahya Shehabi

Abstract readCase ReportsClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of pain research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Maja GreenNXTSTIM, Department of Pain Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
Amie C HayleyInstitute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-4470-4718
Luke A DowneyInstitute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Michael KeaneCentre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia.
Michaela Elise KenneallyForensic Science, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Krishnan ChakravarthyNXTSTIM, Department of Pain Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
Yahya ShehabiCritical Care and Anaesthesia, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Dexmedetomidine is an α2-agonist sedative with opioid-sparing properties, is limited by dose-dependent hypotension and bradycardia. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has sympathomimetic effects and may attenuate these cardiovascular effects while contributing analgesia. Whether low-dose ketamine can stabilize dexmedetomidine-induced hemodynamic changes and provide comparable analgesia to an opioid-based regimen is uncertain. Methods: In this open-label trial, we enrolled 41 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 45 years. All participants received a ketamine infusion (0.3 mg/kg bolus, then 0.15 mg/kg/hour for 3 hours). At 90 minutes, participants were randomized to receive either dexmedetomidine (0.7 µg/kg/hour for 90 minutes, KET/DEX group) or fentanyl (three 25 µg boluses, KET/FENT group). The primary outcomes were change in blood pressure and pain tolerance (measured by pressure algometry). Secondary outcomes included heart rate, subjective mood and sedation, and adverse events. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models and Fisher's exact tests. Results: Of 41 randomized participants, 39 completed the protocol (KET/DEX, 19; KET/FENT, 20). KET/DEX resulted in greater reductions in systolic blood pressure (mean decrease 35-40 mm Hg; ~25-30%) compared to KET/FENT (mean change minimal; between-group Conclusion: Ketamine plus dexmedetomidine produced analgesia equivalent to ketamine plus fentanyl but with more pronounced hypotension and deeper sedation. The hemodynamic effects of dexmedetomidine were not fully offset by low-dose ketamine. These findings suggest that while ketamine-dexmedetomidine may offer an opioid-sparing alternative, careful dose selection and monitoring are required to ensure tolerability. (Funded by Monash University and Monash Health; ACTRN12617000787381). Clinical Trial Number and Registry Url: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372916.

Indexed as

dexmedetomidinefentanylhaemodynamic changesketaminesedation

Identifiers

PMID40395937
PMCPMC12091051

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Registered trials

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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.