Relief Efficacy of Lidocaine Versus Morphine for Acute Renal Colic in the Emergency Department (NCT07536594) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Relief Efficacy of Lidocaine Versus Morphine for Acute Renal Colic in the Emergency Department
250 participantsStarted 2026-06
Plain-language summary
The opioid epidemic continues to be a major public health crisis in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 8 million Americans reported misusing prescription opioids in 2023, with over 5 million Americans reporting that they suffer from opioid use disorder. The United States government estimates that 105,000 people died from drug overdose in 2023, and approximately 80,000 of those deaths can be attributed to opioids (\~76%). In acknowledgement of the opioid crisis, we wish to contribute to ongoing efforts to reduce unnecessary and excessive opioid prescription.
In 2012, researchers in Iran published a randomized controlled trial comparing intravenous (IV) lidocaine to IV morphine for acute renal colic, reporting that 90% patients responded "successfully" in the lidocaine group versus 70% in the morphine group. They also concluded that there was a statistically significant difference between pain scores between the two groups at all time points, favoring the lidocaine group. However, the study was conducted at a single emergency department in Tabriz, Iran, with a relatively homogenous patient population, and the researchers did not explicitly define their primary outcome variable for what constituted a "successful" response in the treatment groups. The investigators of this study aim to build upon this preliminary evidence by recruiting a more diverse population to improve generalizability and by predefining pain-reduction thresholds to allow for more meaningful comparison between the interventions.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
In order to be eligible for inclusion in the study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
* Age ≥ 18 years at time of visit
* Able and willing to consent for participation in study
* Documentation of suspected renal colic as primary complaint as evidenced by reported flank pain, back pain, abdominal pain, or groin pain, or as determined by the treating clinician
* Requires additional treatment due to inadequate analgesia or clinical suspicion of unsafe discharge secondary to pain after initial treatment with parenteral ketorolac
Exclusion Criteria:
Any individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
* Age \< 18 years
* Use of analgesia for renal colic within 6 hours prior to clinician evaluation
* Inability or unwillingness to consent for participation in study
* Experienced a severe adverse event that required clinician intervention after initial treatment with parenteral ketorolac
* Documented history of allergic or anaphylactic reaction to NSAIDs, lidocaine, or morphine
* Documented history of cardiac arrhythmias
* Documented history of chronic use of opioid medications for unrelated diagnoses
* Currently pregnant
* Documented history of end-stage renal or hepatic dysfunction
* Clinical contraindications to NSAIDs, lidocaine, or morphine per clinician discretion
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Response to treatment
Timeframe: 30 minutes after completion of medication administration