A Proof-of-Concept Trial on the Effect of Ketamine on Fatigue

Detailed Summary

Background: Many people experience fatigue as a side effect of their illnesses and treatments. There are no medicines to treat fatigue, but a drug called ketamine has reduced fatigue in depressed people. Researchers hope that ketamine, compared to a drug called midazolam, can reduce fatigue in people with illnesses. Objective: To test whether ketamine reduces fatigue in cancer survivors and people with chronic illness. Eligibility: Adults between the ages of 18 and 70 who have fatigue and are cancer survivors or have been diagnosed with a chronic illness such as chronic fatigue syndrome and lupus. Design: Participants will be screened with a physical exam, medical history, blood and urine tests, questions about their fatigue, and breathalyzer test. During phase 1, participants will complete rating their fatigue using questionnaires. They will be provided thinking, memory, and motivation tests. They will also take a handgrip test. For this study, the participant will have an IV, which a needle guides a thin plastic tube (intravenous or IV line) into an arm in their vein. An IV will be required for two of the visits. They will get a single dose of either ketamine or midazolam through an IV line over 40 minutes. Participants must be accompanied by a responsible friend/family/colleague to take them home after getting the study drug. Participants will have follow-up visits where they repeat the above tests. They will also have follow-up phone calls. Phase 2 is the same as phase 1, but participants get the other study drug. The study lasts 1 month. Each phase lasts 2 weeks. Participants will have 6-8 total NIH visits. For the whole study, they will wear a device on their wrists that records physical activity. Drug side effects can include vivid dreams, seeing colors, perceiving time as moving slower or faster than normal, dizziness, headache, restlessness, nausea, or vomiting, among others.

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Interventions