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Impact of Vitamin C on opioïd Consumption After an Emergency Department Visit for Acute Musculoskeletal Pain

NCT05555576 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 464

Last updated 2026-03-31

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Recent evidence has shown that vitamin C has some analgesic properties and can therefore reduce opioids used during healing. Vitamin C analgesic effect has been explored mostly during the short-term postoperative context or in disease specific chronic pain prevention but not after acute musculoskeletal injuries, which are often seen in the emergency department (ED).

The study's primary aim is to compare the total morphine 5 mg equivalent pills consumed during a two-week follow-up between patients receiving vitamin C or a placebo after ED discharge for an acute musculoskeletal pain complaint.

The investigators will conduct a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial with 464 participants distributed in two arms, one group receiving 1 000 mg of vitamin C twice a day for 14 days and another one receiving a placebo. Participants will be ≥18 years of age, treated in ED for acute musculoskeletal pain present for less than 2 weeks, and discharged with an opioid prescription for home pain management. Total morphine 5 mg equivalent pills consumed during the two-week follow-up will be assessed via an electronic (or paper) diary. In addition, patients will report their daily pain intensity, pain relief, side effects, and other types of pain medication or other non-pharmacological approach (ice, heat, immobilization, etc.) used. Three months after the injury, participants will also be contacted to evaluate chronic pain development. The investigators hypothesized that vitamin C, compared to a placebo, will reduce opioid consumption during a 14-day follow-up for ED discharged patients treated for acute pain.

Conditions

  • Pain, Acute

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Vitamin C

1000 mg vitamin C taken orally twice a day (one in the morning and one in the evening) for a 14-day period after ED discharge for the treatment arm

OTHER

Placebo

Placebo taken orally twice a day (one in the morning and one in the evening) for a 14-day period after ED discharge for the treatment arm

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Hopital de l'Enfant-Jesus

    collaborator OTHER

  • Centre Integre Universitaire de Sante et Services Sociaux du Nord de l'ile de Montreal

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Raoul Daoust, MD MSc · Université de Montréal

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-11-01
Primary Completion
2026-06-30
Completion
2026-12-31

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05555576 on ClinicalTrials.gov