Comparison of the efficacy of oral [10 and15 mg/kg] and rectal [15 mg/kg] acetaminophen in fever reduction in children

ABSTRACT

Fever is the most common symptom of patients referring to pediatrics clinics. The first choice for antipyretic medication is acetaminophen with dosage of 10-15 mg/kg every 4-6 hours. We compared the efficacy of oral [10 and 15 mg/kg] and rectal [15 mg/kg] acetaminophen in fever reduction in children. A randomized, controlled trial was performed in 90 patients aged between 6 months and 6 years with fever >/= 39°Celsius. The patients were divided into three groups; Group 1 administerd rectal acetaminophen 15mg/kg, Group 2 oral Acetaminophen 15 mg/kg and Group 3 oral acetaminophen l0mg/kg. The results at the end of the first and third hour were assessed. The rate of temperature reduction at the end of the first and third hour in the group receiving rectal acetaminophen [15mg/kg] was 1.07 +/- 0.16 and 1/74 +/- 0.25, respectively. The rate of temperature at the end of the first and third hour in the group receiving oral acetaminophen [15mg/kg] was 0.98 +/- 0.19 and 1.25 and 1.7 +/- 0.14, respectively. The rate of temperature reduction at the end of the first and third hour in the group receiving oral acetaminophen [10mg/kg] was 0.63 +/- 0.18 and 1.25 +/- 0.22, respectively. There was no significant difference in temperature reduction between the groups receiving oral [15mg/kg] and rectal acetaminophen, but oral acetaminophen [10 mg/kg] was less effective in temperature reduction