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Dipyrone and acetaminophen: correct dosing by parents?
João Guilherme Bezerra Alves1, Fortunato José Cardoso Neto, Camila Dornelas Câmara Almeida
1Instituto Materno-Infantil Professor Fernando Figueira, Pernambuco, Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife (PE), CEP 50070-550, Brazil. joaoguilherme@imip.org.br
Summary
Parents frequently administer incorrect doses of fever reducers to children. This study found that 75% of children received wrong doses of dipyrone or acetaminophen, with significant overdosing of dipyrone and underdosing of acetaminophen.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- In developed nations, incorrect pediatric dosing of common analgesics like acetaminophen and ibuprofen is well-documented.
- Understanding dosing accuracy in resource-limited settings is crucial for child health.
- This study focuses on dipyrone and acetaminophen, frequently used antipyretics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental accuracy in administering dipyrone and acetaminophen to children in a low-income region.
- To identify patterns of dosing errors (underdosing vs. overdosing) for these antipyretics.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted at a pediatric emergency department in Pernambuco.
- 200 children aged 3-36 months presenting with fever were included.
- Mothers reported antipyretic doses given in the prior 24 hours, which were compared to recommended dosages.
Main Results:
- 75% of 200 children received incorrect antipyretic doses.
- Dipyrone dosing errors were high (89.7%), predominantly overdosing (84.8% of errors).
- Acetaminophen dosing errors occurred in 54.2%, primarily underdosing (84.4% of errors).
Conclusions:
- Inappropriate dosing of antipyretics is common in this population, particularly dipyrone.
- Significant dipyrone overdosing and acetaminophen underdosing were observed.
- Interventions are needed to improve pediatric antipyretic dosing accuracy in underserved areas.
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