Intravenous Lidocaine Provides Similar Analgesia To Intravenous Morphine For Undifferentiated Severe Pain In The Emergency Department: A Pilot, Unblinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives We compared the analgesic effects of intravenous (IV) lidocaine and IV morphine for the treatment of severe pain in the emergency department (ED).Methods This was a pilot, unblinded randomized controlled study comparing the efficacy of IV lidocaine vs IV morphine for patients aged18years with severe pain (numerical rating scale [NRS]7). Participants were randomized to receive IV lidocaine (75mg if<50kg, 100mg if 50-100kg, and 150mg if >100kg) over 10minutes, followed by a 50-minute IV lidocaine infusion of the same dose or provider-chosen dose of morphine. Participants were eligible for rescue morphine. The primary outcome was the difference in patients' mean reported pain at 60minutes. Secondary outcomes included total morphine consumption, patient satisfaction, and side effects.Results Thirty-two patients were enrolled. The lidocaine arm's mean pain NRS at 60minutes was 5.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.3 to 6.8) compared with 4.2 (95% CI = 3.0 to 5.4) in the morphine arm, and the absolute difference was 0.9 (95% CI = -1.2 to 2.9). Among participants in the lidocaine and morphine arms, 13% and 38%, respectively, had side effects. Patient satisfaction was similar in both arms (87% and 88%). Lidocaine arm patients averaged 4.5mg of IV morphine (95% CI = 3.0 to 6.0) compared with 8.4mg (95% CI = 6.9 to 9.8) in the morphine arm, an absolute difference of 3.9mg (95% CI = 1.8 to 5.9).Conclusions We found similar pain relief and satisfaction in both study arms. Lidocaine arm participants had fewer side effects and required less morphine. Lidocaine is a potential opioid-sparing analgesic that deserves further study for severe pain in ED patients.