Faculty mentor/PI email address
jim010@aol.com
Is your research Teaching and Learning based?
1
Keywords
ketamine in sickle cell disease, non-opioid analgesics in sickle cell disease, comparison of ketamine and non-opioid analgesics in sickle cell disease, sickle cell pain crisis
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) are the hallmark of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and a leading cause of hospitalization. Pain management relies heavily on opioids, but repeated exposure carries risks including tolerance, hyperalgesia, and adverse effects. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has emerged as an adjunctive agent with potential opioid-sparing effects (1–3,7). Systematic reviews suggest ketamine may reduce pain scores and possibly opioid requirements, though pooled results remain inconsistent (5,6,8). While ketamine + opioid regimens have been studied, the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of ketamine combined with non-opioid analgesics for VOC remain largely unknown. Understanding the comparative effectiveness of these approaches is crucial for optimizing multimodal analgesia and minimizing opioid burden.
Disciplines
Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities | Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases | Medicine and Health Sciences
Included in
Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Commons, Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases Commons
Ketamine with Opioids vs. Ketamine with Non-Opioid Analgesics for Vaso-Occlusive Crisis in Sickle Cell Disease: A PRISMA-Style Scoping Review
Vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) are the hallmark of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and a leading cause of hospitalization. Pain management relies heavily on opioids, but repeated exposure carries risks including tolerance, hyperalgesia, and adverse effects. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has emerged as an adjunctive agent with potential opioid-sparing effects (1–3,7). Systematic reviews suggest ketamine may reduce pain scores and possibly opioid requirements, though pooled results remain inconsistent (5,6,8). While ketamine + opioid regimens have been studied, the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of ketamine combined with non-opioid analgesics for VOC remain largely unknown. Understanding the comparative effectiveness of these approaches is crucial for optimizing multimodal analgesia and minimizing opioid burden.