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Rescue Intubation in the Emergency Department After Prehospital Ketamine Administration for Agitation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2020

Daniel J. Parks
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FloridaUSA
Scott M. Alter*
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FloridaUSA
Richard D. Shih
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FloridaUSA
Joshua J. Solano
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FloridaUSA
Patrick G. Hughes
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FloridaUSA
Lisa M. Clayton
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FloridaUSA
*
Correspondence: Scott M. Alter, MD, MBA Florida Atlantic University at Bethesda Health Division of Emergency Medicine GME Suite, Lower Level 2815 South Seacrest Blvd Boynton Beach, Florida33435USA E-mail: alters@health.fau.edu

Abstract

Objective:

Prehospital intramuscular (IM) ketamine is increasingly used for chemical restraint of agitated patients. However, few studies have assessed emergency department (ED) follow-up of patients receiving prehospital ketamine for this indication, with previous reports suggesting a high rate of post-administration intubation. This study examines the rate of and reasons for intubation and other airway interventions in agitated patients who received ketamine by Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included patients who received prehospital ketamine for agitation and were transported to two community hospital EDs. Charts were reviewed for demographics, ketamine dose, and airway intervention by EMS or in the ED. Characteristics of patients who were intubated versus those who did not receive airway intervention were analyzed.

Results:

Over 28 months, 86 patients received ketamine for agitation. Fourteen (16.3%) underwent endotracheal intubation. Patients with a higher temperature and a lower Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) were more likely to require intubation. There was no age or dose-dependent association on intubation rate. Intubated patients averaged 39 years old versus 44 for patients not intubated (negative five-year difference; 95% CI, -16 to 6). The mean ketamine dose was 339.3mg in patients intubated versus 350.7mg in patients not (-11.4mg difference; 95% CI, -72.4 to 49.6). The mean weight-based ketamine dose was 4.44mg/kg in patients intubated versus 4.96mg/kg in patients not (-0.53mg/kg difference; 95% CI, -1.49 to 0.43).

Conclusions:

The observed rate of intubation in patients receiving prehospital ketamine for agitation was 16.3%. Study data did not reveal an age or dose-dependent rate of intubation. Further research should be conducted to compare the airway intervention rate of agitated patients receiving ketamine versus other sedatives in a controlled fashion.

Type
Original Research
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine

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