title: Effect of Intravenous High Dose Vitamin C on Postoperative Pain and Morphine Use after Laparoscopic Colectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: Background and Objective. Vitamin C has antioxidant, neuroprotective, and neuromodulating effects. Recently, it showed antinociceptive effect as a result of the antioxidant properties. Therefore, we designed this study to assess the effect of intravenous vitamin C on opiate consumption and pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy.Methods. A total of 100 patients were enrolled and allocated to receive 50 mg/kg vitamin C or placebo by intravenous infusion immediately after induction of anesthesia. Morphine consumption and scores of pain were assessed at 2, 6, and 24 h after completion of surgery.Results. There were 97 patients included in the analysis. Patients who received vitamin C had higher plasma concentrations of vitamin C at the end of surgery, significantly lower morphine consumption at the 2 h after end of surgery, and significantly lower pain scores at rest during first 24 h postoperatively. There was no significant difference between groups in side effects, fatigue score, or pain score during cough.Conclusion. This study shows high dose vitamin C infusion decreased postoperative pain during the first 24 h and reduced morphine consumption in the early postoperative period. Additional research needed to examine whether higher doses of vitamin C and longer infusion times can amplify these effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Younghoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Suyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jinseok
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9686-9955
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yeo