Comparing the effects of pethidine and diclofenac suppository on patients with renal colic in the emergency department

Renal colic is a common cause of emergency room visits. Due to the spontaneous passage of more than 90% of kidney stones, treatment in the emergency department (ED) is limited to pain control. Analgesics currently used are selected based on physician experiences and various theories from different sources. The aim of this study was to compare the common drugs (pethidine and diclofenac) used for renal colic in Iran. In this single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 90 patients with renal colic who referred to the ED of Imam Reza hospital in Kermanshah were randomly assigned to each of 3 treatments including pethidine suppository (50 mg, iv), diclofenac suppository (50 mg), and a combination of pethidine and diclofenac suppository. In this regard, the response to treatment and duration of hospitalization were compared. The best medicine to relieve pain intensity in patients under 25 years was diclofenac suppository. In patients in the age range of 25-45 years, pethidine and diclofenac were the best choice. Conversely, in patients older than 45 years, pethidine was the best treatment. We could also observe a decrease in the length of hospitalization in patients who received pethidine. It can be concluded that morphine is more appropriate to control pain and reduce the length of hospitalization in patients with renal colic.