title: 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.affiliation: Department of Urology, Selcuk University, Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: mekaynar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaynar
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Beyhekim State Hospital, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferudun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koyuncu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mevlana University, Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Buldu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Konya Education and Research Hospital, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tekinarslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tepeler
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mevlana University, Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karatağ
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mevlana University, Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Okan
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: İstanbulluoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Selcuk University, Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ceylan
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D056844:Renal Colic / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac; D000082:Acetaminophen