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Antipyretic use among children during the 1983 influenza season
Insights
Acetaminophen has replaced aspirin as the primary fever reducer for children in Houston. This shift may lead to a decrease in Reye
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Aspirin use in children has been a concern due to its association with Reye's syndrome.
- Understanding current antipyretic practices is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of aspirin use among children in Houston during influenza season.
- To evaluate parental awareness of Reye's syndrome and its link to aspirin.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey was conducted in Houston in March 1983.
- Interviews with 200 households included 346 children aged 12 years or younger.
- Data collected on illness, antipyretic use, and Reye's syndrome awareness.
Main Results:
- Acetaminophen was the predominant antipyretic, used by 61% of children with fever (≥37.7°C) and 59% of those with high fever (≥39.4°C).
- Aspirin was used less frequently, either alone or in combination with acetaminophen.
- Only 42% of parents were aware of the aspirin-Reye's syndrome association.
Conclusions:
- Acetaminophen appears to have largely replaced aspirin for pediatric fever management in Houston.
- Increased awareness and potential decline in aspirin use may correlate with a reduced incidence of Reye's syndrome.
- Further studies are needed to confirm these trends nationally.
Abstract:
We conducted a telephone survey in Houston in March 1983 to assess the level of aspirin use among children during the influenza season. We completed interviews of 200 households with 346 children aged 12 years or younger. Fifty-two percent of the 346 children experienced at least one acute illness in the preceding three months. Fever was measured with a thermometer in 114 ill children, 103 of whom had at least one measured temperature of 37.7 degrees C or greater. Fourteen percent of these 103 children received aspirin only, 61% received acetaminophen only, and 20% received both. Among a subgroup of 44 children with temperatures of at least 39.4 degrees C, 11% received aspirin only, 59% received acetaminophen only, and 27% received both. Only 60% of the 200 parents interviewed had heard of Reye's syndrome. Forty-two percent knew of the association between Reye's syndrome and aspirin use. The survey suggests that acetaminophen has replaced aspirin as the major antipyretic used by children in Houston. If the decline in aspirin use in Houston is representative of the population in the United States, and if aspirin is causally related to Reye's syndrome, the incidence of Reye's syndrome may decline.