Could a One-Time ketamine infusion tame cluster headaches?
NCT ID NCT04814381
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a single 2-hour infusion of ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate can reduce the number of daily attacks in people with refractory chronic cluster headache—a rare and severe headache disorder. 93 adults who had at least 2 attacks per day and did not respond to standard treatments received either the drug combination or an active placebo (hydroxyzine). The main goal was to compare weekly attack counts before treatment and one week after.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- ketamine and magnesium sulfate combination
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new, quick-acting option to reduce daily attacks for people with hard-to-treat chronic cluster headache.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single infusion with only short-term follow-up (90 days). The earlier promising results were from a small, uncontrolled study, so the placebo-controlled trial may not confirm the same benefit.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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AP-HM Marseille
Marseille, 13005, France
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CH Annecy Genevois
Annecy, 74370, France
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CHRU De Lille
Lille, 59000, France
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CHU Grenoble-Alpes
Voiron, 38500, France
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CHU Nantes, Hopital Nord Laennec
Nantes, 44000, France
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CHU Rouen
Rouen, 76100, France
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CHU de Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand, 63000, France
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CHU de Montpellier
Montpellier, 34295, France
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Clinique Beau Soleil
Montpellier, 34070, France
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Hopital Pierre Paul Riquet
Toulouse, 31059, France
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Hopital de Hautepierre
Strasbourg, 67098, France
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Hospices civils de Lyon, Hôpital Pierre Wertheimer
Lyon, 69500, France
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Hôpital Lariboisière
Paris, 75010, France
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Polyclinique Jean Villar
Bruges, 33520, France
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