Date: January 16th, 2022

Reference: Matchett, G. et al. Etomidate versus ketamine for emergency endotracheal intubation: a randomized clinical trial. Intensive Care Med 2021

Guest Skeptic: Missy Carter, former City of Bremerton Firefighter/Paramedic, currently a professor of Emergency Medical Services at Tacoma Community College’s paramedic program. Missy is currently working in a community emergency department as a physician assistant and recently accepted a critical care position in Tacoma Washington.

Case: You respond to a rapid response on the floor for a 58-year-old woman in septic shock who is requiring emergent rapid sequence intubation (RSI). As you prepare to intubate the pharmacist asks if you would prefer ketamine or etomidate for induction in this patient.

Background: We have covered the issue of intubation multiple times on the SGEM. This has included looking at supraglottic airways for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (SGEM#247), video vs. direct laryngoscopy (SGEM#95), tracheal intubation for in-hospital cardiac arrests (SGEM#197), apneic oxygenation (SGEM#186) and confirming intubation with POCUS (SGEM#249). One thing we have not covered is the choice of induction agent for intubation.

There has been much debate regarding the use of etomidate verses ketamine for induction in the critically ill [1-4]. A 2009 randomized control trial conducted in French ICUs supported the use of ketamine in this patient population [5]. Both agents are considered hemodynamically stable, but any induction agent may precipitate shock in the critically ill.

There is some conflicting evidence as to which agent is preferred for patients who are at high risk of peri intubation complications. Historically there has been concern about adrenal insufficiency caused by etomidate being harmful for patients with sepsis but this has not been shown to cause increased mortality in the literature [6, 7].

Ketamine has emerged as a reasonable alternative but in recent years there has been concern about increased cardiovascular collapse with ketamine especially in those with sepsis or a high shock index [1, 8].   

Clinical Question: Which induction agent has a better day 7 survival for critically ill patients requiring emergency endotracheal intubation, ketamine or etomidate?

Reference: Matchett, G. et al. Etomidate versus ketamine for emergency endotracheal intubation: a randomized clinical trial. Intensive Care Med 2021

* Population: Adults 18 years of age and older in need of emergency endotracheal (ET) intubation

* Exclusions: Children, pregnant patients, patients needing ET intubation without sedation or allergic to one of the agents being used

* Intervention: Ketamine 1-2mg/kg IV

* Comparison: Etomidate 0.2-0.3mg/kg IV

* Outcome:

* Primary Outcome: 7-day survival

* Secondary Outcomes: 28-day survival, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, need for vasopressor use, SOFA scores and an assessment of a new diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency by the treating critical care teams.

* Trial: Prospective, randomized, parallel-assignment, open-label, single-center trial (NCT02643381)