Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Recent evidence has shown that vitamin C has analgesic and opioid sparing properties in immediate postoperative context. However, this has never been studied for acute musculoskeletal (MSK) emergency department (ED) injuries. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluat...

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Main Authors: Raoul Daoust, Jean Paquet, David Williamson, Vérilibe Huard, Caroline Arbour, Jeffrey J Perry, Marcel Émond, Simon Berthelot, Patrick Archambault, Dominique Rouleau, Judy Morris, Alexis Cournoyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316450
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author Raoul Daoust
Jean Paquet
David Williamson
Vérilibe Huard
Caroline Arbour
Jeffrey J Perry
Marcel Émond
Simon Berthelot
Patrick Archambault
Dominique Rouleau
Judy Morris
Alexis Cournoyer
author_facet Raoul Daoust
Jean Paquet
David Williamson
Vérilibe Huard
Caroline Arbour
Jeffrey J Perry
Marcel Émond
Simon Berthelot
Patrick Archambault
Dominique Rouleau
Judy Morris
Alexis Cournoyer
author_sort Raoul Daoust
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Recent evidence has shown that vitamin C has analgesic and opioid sparing properties in immediate postoperative context. However, this has never been studied for acute musculoskeletal (MSK) emergency department (ED) injuries. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized placebo-controlled study to determine the opioid sparing and analgesic effect of vitamin C compared to placebo, in acute MSK injured ED patients.<h4>Methods</h4>A double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) distributed in two arms, stratified for fractures, was performed in a tertiary care center, one group receiving 1 g of vitamin C twice a day for 14 days and another receiving placebo. Participants were ≥18 years of age, treated in ED for MSK injuries present for ≤2 weeks, and discharged with a standardized opioid prescription of 20 morphine 5 mg tablets (M5T) and, at the clinician discretion, 28 tablets of naproxen 500 mg. Participants completed a 14-day paper diary and were contacted by phone at 14 days, to document their analgesic use, vitamin C consumption, and pain intensity.<h4>Results</h4>Overall, 137 patients were screened; 44(32%) were excluded, 38(40.9%) refused, leaving 55(59.1%) participants, with a consent rate of 9.2/month. Mean age was 53 years (SD = 16) and 55% were men. Fourteen (25%) participants were lost to follow-up and 33(83%) patients complied with treatment. For per-protocol analysis, the median (IQR) M5T consumed was 6.5 (3.3-19.5) for the vitamin C and 9.0 (1.5-16.0) for placebo group. The median (IQR) naproxen 500 mg tablets consumed was 0 (0-9.8) for the vitamin C group and 20 (0-27) for the placebo arm.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This pilot study supports the feasibility of a larger RCT on the opioid sparing and analgesic properties of vitamin C for acute MSK injured ED patients. Strategies to reduce the refusal and lost to follow-up rates are discussed.<h4>Trial registration number</h4>NCT05555576, ClinicalTrials.Gov PRS.
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spelling doaj-art-eb356a31415c4144ae04583e8d58dcc92025-08-20T01:48:15ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011912e031645010.1371/journal.pone.0316450Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.Raoul DaoustJean PaquetDavid WilliamsonVérilibe HuardCaroline ArbourJeffrey J PerryMarcel ÉmondSimon BerthelotPatrick ArchambaultDominique RouleauJudy MorrisAlexis Cournoyer<h4>Introduction</h4>Recent evidence has shown that vitamin C has analgesic and opioid sparing properties in immediate postoperative context. However, this has never been studied for acute musculoskeletal (MSK) emergency department (ED) injuries. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized placebo-controlled study to determine the opioid sparing and analgesic effect of vitamin C compared to placebo, in acute MSK injured ED patients.<h4>Methods</h4>A double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) distributed in two arms, stratified for fractures, was performed in a tertiary care center, one group receiving 1 g of vitamin C twice a day for 14 days and another receiving placebo. Participants were ≥18 years of age, treated in ED for MSK injuries present for ≤2 weeks, and discharged with a standardized opioid prescription of 20 morphine 5 mg tablets (M5T) and, at the clinician discretion, 28 tablets of naproxen 500 mg. Participants completed a 14-day paper diary and were contacted by phone at 14 days, to document their analgesic use, vitamin C consumption, and pain intensity.<h4>Results</h4>Overall, 137 patients were screened; 44(32%) were excluded, 38(40.9%) refused, leaving 55(59.1%) participants, with a consent rate of 9.2/month. Mean age was 53 years (SD = 16) and 55% were men. Fourteen (25%) participants were lost to follow-up and 33(83%) patients complied with treatment. For per-protocol analysis, the median (IQR) M5T consumed was 6.5 (3.3-19.5) for the vitamin C and 9.0 (1.5-16.0) for placebo group. The median (IQR) naproxen 500 mg tablets consumed was 0 (0-9.8) for the vitamin C group and 20 (0-27) for the placebo arm.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This pilot study supports the feasibility of a larger RCT on the opioid sparing and analgesic properties of vitamin C for acute MSK injured ED patients. Strategies to reduce the refusal and lost to follow-up rates are discussed.<h4>Trial registration number</h4>NCT05555576, ClinicalTrials.Gov PRS.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316450
spellingShingle Raoul Daoust
Jean Paquet
David Williamson
Vérilibe Huard
Caroline Arbour
Jeffrey J Perry
Marcel Émond
Simon Berthelot
Patrick Archambault
Dominique Rouleau
Judy Morris
Alexis Cournoyer
Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.
PLoS ONE
title Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.
title_full Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.
title_fullStr Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.
title_full_unstemmed Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.
title_short Impact of vitamin C on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain: A double-blind randomized control pilot study.
title_sort impact of vitamin c on the reduction of opioid consumption for acute musculoskeletal pain a double blind randomized control pilot study
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316450
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