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Asthma morbidity after the short-term use of ibuprofen in children

Samuel M Lesko1, Carol Louik, Richard M Vezina

  • 1Slone Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. leskos@bu.edu

Pediatrics
|February 5, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Short-term ibuprofen use in children with asthma did not increase asthma morbidity. In fact, ibuprofen was associated with fewer outpatient visits for asthma compared to acetaminophen.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children.
  • Fever management in children with asthma requires careful consideration of medication safety.
  • Concerns exist regarding the potential impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on asthma morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the hypothesis that short-term ibuprofen use exacerbates asthma morbidity in children.
  • To compare the safety and efficacy of ibuprofen versus acetaminophen for fever control in pediatric asthma patients.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, acetaminophen-controlled clinical trial.
  • 1879 children with asthma and febrile illness were randomized to receive either acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
  • Asthma-related hospitalization and outpatient visit rates were compared between groups.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in asthma hospitalization rates between ibuprofen and acetaminophen groups.
  • Significantly lower risk of outpatient visits for asthma in the ibuprofen group (RR 0.56; 95% CI: 0.34-0.95).
  • No evidence supporting increased asthma morbidity with short-term ibuprofen use.

Conclusions:

  • Ibuprofen use in children with asthma, not known to be sensitive to NSAIDs, appears relatively safe.
  • Compared to acetaminophen, ibuprofen may be associated with reduced asthma-related outpatient visits.
  • Further research is needed to determine the cause of observed morbidity differences.
Abstract

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