Effect of vitamin C on postoperative pain in patients undergoing lower limb surgery

Introduction: Effective reduction of post-operative pain is vital for patient care, early mobilization, quick recovery, and a brief hospital stay. Vitamin C has been explored for its potential analgesic properties in postoperative settings, but its clinical utility remains inconclusive. Our study aimed to assess the effect of vitamin C on post-operative pain in patients undergoing lower limb surgery and its safety profile. Methods: This randomized, open-label, parallel-group study investigated the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation as an additional treatment alongside standard pain management in patients undergoing lower limb orthopaedic surgery. The study was conducted by the Departments of Pharmacology and Orthopaedics. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group received vitamin C 500 mg orally twice daily for 5 consecutive days postoperatively, with the first dose administered 6 hours after surgery, while the other group was the control. Both groups received diclofenac 50 mg intramuscularly twice daily. Pain levels were measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Behavioural Pain Assessment Scale (BPAS) at different time intervals. The unpaired t-test was applied to compare the pain scores between the two groups. Results: A total of 100 patients were recruited, with 50 in each group. Demographic parameters were comparable. Mean age was 41.98 ± 14.91 and 38.1 ± 13.87 years in the vitamin C and control groups, respectively, with 80% men in both groups. Pain intensity was comparable, and all patients had severe limitation of joint movements in both groups at baseline. Reduction in VAS and BPAS score was significant (p < 0.05) with vitamin C. No adverse effects were reported with vitamin C. Conclusion: Vitamin C supplementation significantly improved pain management outcomes postoperatively, suggesting its potential as an adjunct to traditional analgesics for patients undergoing lower limb orthopaedic surgery.