Comparison of the efficacy of diclofenac, acupuncture, and acetaminophen in the treatment of renal colic.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The objective is to compare the analgesic effects of diclofenac, acetaminophen, and acupuncture in urolithiasis-driven renal colic pain relief.

METHODS:

Renal colic patients were divided randomly into 3 groups. Patients in group I (n = 40) were treated with intravenous acetaminophen, those in group II (n = 41) with acupuncture, and those in group III (n = 40) with a 75-mg intramuscular injection diclofenac sodium. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and verbal rating scale (VRS) were used to assess pain intensity after 10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes.

RESULTS:

No significant differences in baseline VAS or VRS were found with regard to age or sex. After 10 minutes, all 3 groups experienced a significant decrease in VAS and VRS scores, with the most drastic decrease occurring in group II. After 30 minutes, there was a significantly higher decrease in group III than in group I (P = .001). After 60 minutes, mean VAS scores of groups I and III (P = .753) were similar. The mean VAS score of group III was lower than that of group II (P = .013). After 120 minutes, the difference in the VAS scores was (P = .000) between groups I and II and between groups II and III. Yet, the VAS evaluation made after 120 minutes revealed statistically similar outcomes for groups I and III (P = .488). The statistical findings for VRS evaluations made after 10, 30, 60, and 120 were similar to those for VAS.

CONCLUSIONS:

In renal colic patients with a possible nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and acetaminophen side effect risk, acupuncture emerges as an alternative treatment modality.

• Authors: Mehmet Kaynar, Ferudun Koyuncu, İbrahim Buldu, Erdem Tekinarslan, Abdulkadir Tepeler, Tuna Karatağ, Mustafa Okan İstanbulluoğlu, Kadir Ceylan
• Journal: The American journal of emergency medicine (Am J Emerg Med) Vol. 33 Issue 6 Pg. 749-53 (Jun 2015) ISSN: 1532-8171 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25827597 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
• Diclofenac
• Acetaminophen

Topics

• Acetaminophen (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Acupuncture Therapy
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Analgesics, Non-Narcotic (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Diclofenac (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Injections, Intramuscular
• Injections, Intravenous
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pain Management
• Pain Measurement
• Renal Colic (therapy)
• Treatment Outcome