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Paracetamol for treating fever in children
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. meremiku@skannet.com
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|June 22, 2002
Summary
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) use for childhood fever lacks conclusive evidence of superior benefit over placebo. Limited data suggest no significant difference compared to physical cooling methods, with few reported adverse events.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a common antipyretic for childhood fever.
- Its efficacy and safety compared to placebo and physical methods remain uncertain.
- Used to alleviate symptoms and prevent febrile convulsions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess paracetamol's effects on fever clearance time and febrile convulsions in children.
- To evaluate resolution of associated symptoms with paracetamol treatment.
- To compare paracetamol with placebo and physical cooling methods.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized trials.
- Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to November 2001.
- Included 12 trials (1509 participants) comparing paracetamol with placebo or physical cooling.
Main Results:
- Insufficient evidence on paracetamol's effect on febrile convulsions.
- No significant difference in fever resolution between paracetamol and sponging (RR 1.84; CI 0.94-3.61).
- Limited data on mild adverse events, with no significant difference observed.
Conclusions:
- Evidence for paracetamol's superior antipyretic effect over placebo is inconclusive.
- Limited evidence suggests no difference in antipyretic effect compared to physical methods.
- Need for standardized outcomes to improve future study comparisons and meta-analyses.