Can a single dose of esketamine stop itching in older surgery patients?
NCT ID NCT07597486
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a low dose of esketamine, given during knee replacement surgery, can reduce itching in elderly patients with senile pruritus. Two hundred participants will receive either esketamine or a placebo, and their itching will be measured over the following week. The goal is to see if this drug can provide relief without major side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Esketamine
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new way to ease severe itching in older adults during and after surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 200 participants. It may not show a clear benefit, and esketamine can cause side effects like dizziness or nausea.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 200 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
May 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Sep 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
65 to 80 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Meet the diagnostic criteria for senile pruritus: 1. Aged ≥ 65 years old; 2. Presenting with only skin pruritus without obvious primary skin lesions, with or without scratch-induced skin lesions; 3. Daily or nearly daily pruritus lasting for more than 6 weeks. 2. Patients undergoing elective general anesthesia for orthopedic knee arthroplasty. 3. Patients aged ≥ 65 years old, with ASA physical status classification Ⅰ-Ⅲ; BMI ranging from 18 to 30 kg/m², with no restriction on gender. 4. Patients have fully understood the nature of this study, are capable of understanding and completing evaluation scales preoperatively, voluntarily participate in this trial, and sign the informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Those who are allergic to the pharmaceutical ingredients of this study or have an allergic constitution; 2. Those with a history of allergy to general anesthetics, opioids, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; 3. Those with severe cognitive impairment, a history of neurological diseases, chronic pain, drug addiction, alcoholism, long-term opioid use, or administration of opioids within 48 hours before surgery; 4. Patients with ASA physical status classification Grade IV-V; 5. Those with severe coronary heart disease/arrhythmia/cardiac insufficiency, bronchial asthma, severe hypertension, severe hematopoietic system dysfunction, severe abnormal liver and kidney function, or significant electrolyte disorders; 6. Those with a history of gastrointestinal diseases (peptic ulcer, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis); 7. Those with respiratory insufficiency or respiratory failure; 8. Those with BMI \< 18 kg/m² or BMI \> 30 kg/m²; 9. Those with poor compliance who cannot complete the trial in accordance with the research protocol; 10. Those who have participated in other clinical drug trials within the past 4 weeks; 11. Those deemed unsuitable for enrollment by the researchers for any reason. -
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Senile pruritus are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Tianjin Medical University General Hospital
Tianjin, 300052, China