Ketorolac for sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis pain in the emergency department: lack of a narcotic-sparing effect

Abstract

Study objective: To determine if a single dose of intramuscular ketorolac given on presentation to the emergency department has a narcotic-sparing effect in adult patients with sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis pain.

Design: A prospective, randomized, single-dose, double-blind study.

Setting: ED of a university hospital and an affiliated county hospital.

Type of participants: Eighteen adult patients who presented to the ED with sickle cell crisis pain a total of 24 times.

Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive either ketorolac 60 mg IM or placebo on presentation to the ED. Subjects were administered meperidine on presentation and then received a standardized dose of meperidine every 30 minutes during the four-hour observation period based on the severity of pain.

Measurements and main results: The 12 subjects in the ketorolac group received an average of 231 +/- 92 mg meperidine, whereas the 12 subjects in the placebo group received an average meperidine dose of 250 +/- 85 mg (P = .61).

Conclusion: The use of intramuscular ketorolac did not lead to a clinically significant reduction in the requirement for narcotics during the four-hour ED treatment period.