Intravenous Acetaminophen for Renal Colic in the Emergency Department: Where Do We Stand? 2017

Billy Sin, and Kimberly Koop, and Michelle Liu, and Jun-Yen Yeh, and Pardeep Thandi
1Division of Pharmacy Practice, Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy, LIU Pharmacy, Brooklyn, NY; 2Department of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacotherapy, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY; 3Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy, LIU Pharmacy, Brooklyn, NY; 4Drug Regulatory Affairs M.S. Program, Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy, LIU Pharmacy, Brooklyn, NY; and 5Department of Emergency Medicine, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY.

BACKGROUND The efficacy, safety, opioid-sparing effects, and cost-benefit analyses of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen (APAP) in treating renal colic remain controversial. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety, efficacy, opioid-sparing effects, and cost-benefits of IV APAP in patients who present with renal colic in the emergency department (ED). METHODS We systematically searched PubMed (January 1970 to April 2016). METHODS Randomized controlled trials which evaluated IV APAP for renal colic in the ED were eligible. The clinical outcomes measured were change in pain scores from baseline, incidence of adverse events, use of rescue analgesia, and cost-benefits. Forest plots were constructed using the Mantel-Haenszel method in a random effect model to changes in pain scores from the baseline to designated intervals. RESULTS The analysis suggested a difference in pain reduction favoring IV APAP over morphine. IV APAP had a significant effect in pain reduction than IV morphine (difference in mean pain score reduction = 7.5 in a 100-point visual analog scale (VAS); 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99-13.00; P = 0.008). There was mild-to-moderate study heterogeneity (I = 42%). No difference was observed when IV APAP was compared with intramuscular piroxicam for pain reduction (difference in mean pain score reduction = 0.17 in a VAS reduction ≥50% VAS; 95% CI, -0.22 to 0.57) and to intramuscular diclofenac (difference in mean pain score reduction = 0.00 in a numeric rating scale reduction ≥50%; 95% CI, -0.12 to 0.12). The analysis for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs versus IV APAP revealed no difference (difference in mean pain score reduction = 0.01 in a 100-point VAS; 95% CI, -0.10 to 0.13; P = 0.80). CONCLUSIONS In this meta-analysis, we found that data on the efficacy, safety, opioid-sparing effects, and cost-benefit analyses of IV APAP for renal colic were weak. Based on the available data, IV APAP should not be considered as an alternative to opioids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the primary management of renal colic in the ED.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D003362 Cost-Benefit Analysis A method of comparing the cost of a program with its expected benefits in dollars (or other currency). The benefit-to-cost ratio is a measure of total return expected per unit of money spent. This analysis generally excludes consideration of factors that are not measured ultimately in economic terms. In contrast a cost effectiveness in general compares cost with qualitative outcomes. Cost and Benefit,Cost-Benefit Data,Benefits and Costs,Cost Benefit,Cost Benefit Analysis,Cost-Utility Analysis,Costs and Benefits,Economic Evaluation,Marginal Analysis,Analyses, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Utility,Analysis, Marginal,Benefit and Cost,Cost Benefit Analyses,Cost Benefit Data,Cost Utility Analysis,Cost-Benefit Analyses,Cost-Utility Analyses,Data, Cost-Benefit,Economic Evaluations,Evaluation, Economic,Marginal Analyses
D004636 Emergency Service, Hospital Hospital department responsible for the administration and provision of immediate medical or surgical care to the emergency patient. Emergency Outpatient Unit,Emergency Services Utilization,Hospital Emergency Room,Hospital Emergency Service,Hospital Emergency Services Utilization,Accident and Emergency Department,Emergency Departments,Emergency Hospital Service,Emergency Room,Emergency Units,Emergency Ward,Hospital Service Emergency,Service, Hospital Emergency,Department, Emergency,Departments, Emergency,Emergencies, Hospital Service,Emergency Department,Emergency Hospital Services,Emergency Outpatient Units,Emergency Room, Hospital,Emergency Rooms,Emergency Rooms, Hospital,Emergency Services, Hospital,Emergency Unit,Emergency Wards,Emergency, Hospital Service,Hospital Emergency Rooms,Hospital Emergency Services,Hospital Service Emergencies,Hospital Service, Emergency,Hospital Services, Emergency,Outpatient Unit, Emergency,Outpatient Units, Emergency,Room, Emergency,Room, Hospital Emergency,Rooms, Emergency,Rooms, Hospital Emergency,Service Emergencies, Hospital,Service Emergency, Hospital,Service, Emergency Hospital,Services Utilization, Emergency,Services Utilizations, Emergency,Services, Emergency Hospital,Services, Hospital Emergency,Unit, Emergency,Unit, Emergency Outpatient,Units, Emergency,Units, Emergency Outpatient,Utilization, Emergency Services,Ward, Emergency,Wards, Emergency
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000082 Acetaminophen Analgesic antipyretic derivative of acetanilide. It has weak anti-inflammatory properties and is used as a common analgesic, but may cause liver, blood cell, and kidney damage. Acetamidophenol,Hydroxyacetanilide,Paracetamol,APAP,Acamol,Acephen,Acetaco,Acetominophen,Algotropyl,Anacin-3,Datril,N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)acetanilide,N-Acetyl-p-aminophenol,Panadol,Tylenol,p-Acetamidophenol,p-Hydroxyacetanilide,Anacin 3,Anacin3
D000701 Analgesics, Opioid Compounds with activity like OPIATE ALKALOIDS, acting at OPIOID RECEPTORS. Properties include induction of ANALGESIA or NARCOSIS. Opioid,Opioid Analgesic,Opioid Analgesics,Opioids,Full Opioid Agonists,Opioid Full Agonists,Opioid Mixed Agonist-Antagonists,Opioid Partial Agonists,Partial Opioid Agonists,Agonist-Antagonists, Opioid Mixed,Agonists, Full Opioid,Agonists, Opioid Full,Agonists, Opioid Partial,Agonists, Partial Opioid,Analgesic, Opioid,Full Agonists, Opioid,Mixed Agonist-Antagonists, Opioid,Opioid Agonists, Full,Opioid Agonists, Partial,Opioid Mixed Agonist Antagonists,Partial Agonists, Opioid
D016032 Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table. Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
D056844 Renal Colic A severe intermittent and spasmodic pain in the lower back radiating to the groin, scrotum, and labia which is most commonly caused by a kidney stone (RENAL CALCULUS) passing through the URETER or by other urinary track blockage. It is often associated with nausea, vomiting, fever, restlessness, dull pain, frequent urination, and HEMATURIA. Acute Renal Colic,Ureteral Colic,Acute Renal Colics,Colic, Acute Renal,Colic, Renal,Colic, Ureteral,Colics, Acute Renal,Colics, Renal,Colics, Ureteral,Renal Colic, Acute,Renal Colics,Renal Colics, Acute,Ureteral Colics
D059408 Pain Management A form of therapy that employs a coordinated and interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those experiencing pain. Management, Pain,Managements, Pain,Pain Managements
D061605 Administration, Intravenous Delivery of substances through VENIPUNCTURE into the VEINS. Intravenous Administration,Administrations, Intravenous,Intravenous Administrations

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