Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Ketorolac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is proposed to have a ceiling effect. We studied if ketorolac at lower doses was as effective and safe as the standard doses. AREA COVERED: Randomized trials on different doses of ketorolac were searched in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science from the inception date to 12 December 2024. The extent of change in pain, pain relief, need for rescue analgesia, reduction in patient opioid consumption, and adverse event rates were outcomes of interest. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool version 2. EXPERT OPINION/COMMENTARY: In acute, postoperative, and cancer pain, there was no difference in the analgesic effect of lower doses of ketorolac in comparison to routine doses. In addition, the results did not show higher adverse effects. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero identifier is CRD42023480153.