Table 4.

Variables associated with adverse events occurring during ketamine infusion

Adverse events occurring during ketamine infusion (N=60 cases)	Adverse events (N=18; 30%)	No adverse events (N=42; 70%)	p-value (univ.)
Duration of ketamine; days; median (range)	5 (1–17)	3 (0–27)	NS
Maximal infusion rate*; mg/kg/h; ; median (range)	2.4 (0.6–7.5)	2.75 (0–10)	NS
Shock prior to ketamine (N=8); N (row %)	2 (25%)	6 (75%)	NS
Hepatic failure prior to ketamine (N=6); N (row %)	0 (0%)	6 (100%)	NS
Renal failure prior to ketamine (N=10); N (row %)	4 (40%)	6 (60%)	NS
Cardiac failure prior to ketamine (N=7); N (row %)	1 (14%)	6 (86%)	NS
Concurrent antiepileptic drugs; median (range)	5 (4–11)	5 (1–11)	NS
Concurrent anesthetic drugs**; median (range)	2 (1–3)	1 (0–3)	0.005

Abbreviations: h = hours; d = days; m = months; y = years; univ. = univariate analysis; multiv. = multivariate analysis;

^*information available in 54/60 cases;

^**anesthetic drugs include pentobarbital, thiopental, midazolam and propofol.