Abstract

ANTIPYRETIC EFFECT OF ORAL VERSUS RECTAL ACETAMINOPHEN IN CHILDREN - A RANDOMIZED COMPARATIV STUDY

Nobo Krishna Ghosh, Farhana Tanzin, Forhad Manjur, Farhana Rizwan, Morsheda Khanam and S. M. Shatil Shahriar

Abstract

Objective: Acetaminophen is one of the widely used analgesics &antipyretics around the world. Because of its safety, it is widely used inchildren for the relief of fever. It is available in both oral(solid, liquid)& rectal forms(Suppositories).Different studies shown their efficacy inreducing pain & fever, however the results varies due to absorption,distribution, metabolism and excretion. Methods: This randomizedcontrol trail studies were conducted in the Dr. M R Shishu Hospital.Then the data were entered into the computer and calculated the resultusing SPSS. Results: In the study it has been found that the meantemperature of the oral group ((37.60C) is quite similar to the meantemperature of the rectal group (37.80C). By the end of the study (180minutes), 76.9% (n = 60) children experienced a temperature drop that was either equal to ormore than 10 C. When the data was stratified by the study groups, the respective proportionsin the oral and in the rectal group were found to be 75% (n = 30) and 78.9% (n=30).Likewise, by The end of the study (180 minutes), a total of 44.8% (n = 44) childrenexperienced a temperature drop that was either equal to or more than 2ºc. When the data wasstratified by the study groups, the respective proportions observed in the oral and in the rectalgroup was 37.5% (n = 15) and 52.6% (n=20). By the end of the study was statistically nodifferent between the oral and the rectal group. Conclusion: Oral and rectal acetaminophenpreparations seems to be equally efficacious for the treatment of fever and pain. Ourrandomized controlled trial tested the difference between the two forms of administration at astandard dose and found that the groups did not differ on any of the three outcomes: mean 3- hour temperature change, percent of patients with a decrease ≥10 c, and percent of patients with a decrease ≥20 c. Therefore, we concluded that there is no significant difference in reducing fever through rectal and oral dosage form, both seems to be very efficacious.

Keywords: Acetaminophen, Fever, Pediatrics, Oral Paracetamol and Rectal Paracetamol.