Adverse Events in Patients Aged 90 Days or Younger Receiving Ketamine in the Emergency Department

The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of adverse events of ketamine administration in the pediatric emergency department in patients aged 90 days or younger in order to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of administration in this patient population.

An 8-year retrospective chart review of patients aged 90 days or younger who received ketamine in the pediatric emergency department was conducted. All patients who met the age criteria were included in this study. Identified routes of ketamine administration included oral, intramuscular, and intravenous.

Fourteen patients were identified who met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. The median age was 45 days old. Indications for ketamine administration included 7 cases for procedural sedation, 5 cases for RSI, and 2 cases for postintubation sedation. The average dose amount (mg/kg) of ketamine administered was 10, 4.43, and 1.59 for oral, intramuscular, and intravenous routes, respectively. Of the 14 patients, 1 patient was identified to have an adverse event to ketamine administration. A transient desaturation and bradycardic event due to laryngospasm was observed during laryngoscopy performed for RSI that was resolved with administration of anticholinergics and paralytics as well as successful intubation and ventilation.

In this study, 1 patient suffered an adverse event due to laryngospasm during intubation. In the pediatric population, the incidence of adverse events of ketamine administration has been found to be variable in the current literature, ranging from 0.71% to 7.26%. In our study, an adverse event occurred in 1 out of 14 administrations (7.1%). The incidence of adverse events associated with ketamine administration in our patients aged 90 days or less appeared to be similar to that reported in the general pediatric population.