Antipyretic Effect of Acetaminophen Versus Ibuprofen in Children Referred to the Pediatric Clinic of Imam Reza Hospital (Mashhad)

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are the most widely used drugs in pediatric medicine to control fever and pain. There are different opinions about the effectiveness, duration of effects, and side effects and duration of action in controlling pain and fever of these drugs. In this study, we decided to examine the antipyretic effects of two common drugs to provide solutions based on the results.

During six months in the second half of the year, 400 children referred to a pediatric clinic with fever were divided into two groups. One group was prescribed acetaminophen at a dose of 15 mg per kg every 4 to 6 hours to control fever, and the other group was prescribed ibuprofen at a dose of 10 mg per kg every 6 to 8 hours. Patients underwent telephone or in-person follow-up 24 hours after drug administration, and each group was evaluated for the time to stop fever after medication, the duration without the fever after each dose, and the interval between doses.

Four hundred children were examined and split into 185 children in the first group (acetaminophen) and 145 children in the second group (ibuprofen). In the first group, the average duration of stop the fever after taking the drug was 35 minutes, and in the second group, 55 minutes. Duration without fever after taking the drug was 2 hours in the first group and 4 hours in the second group. In the first group, drug dissatisfaction was much lower than in the second group.

The best antipyretic drug in children, especially in infections, is acetaminophen, which, of course, must be taken in sufficient and correct doses and avoid taking antipyretic drugs, which is also anti-inflammatory. Although ibuprofen and diclofenac are also antipyretics, they should not be used as antipyretics, especially in pediatric infections. Compared to acetaminophen, these drugs have both more side effects and a longer reduction in body temperature.