Haney Wahba1. 1. Indiana Regional Medical Center, and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether evidence in the medical literature supports ibuprofen or acetaminophen for reducing fever in children. METHODS: Both MEDLINE and the Science Citation Index were searched using various medical subject headings for all articles published worldwide from 1966-2000. The language of publication was not restricted. RESULTS: Initially, 4132 articles were found that dealt with either ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Limiting these articles to humans and children, and cross-referencing with the Science Citation Index resulted in 68 articles; 22 satisfied the inclusion criteria and were further assessed for validity, design, and methods of reporting data. CONCLUSION:Acetaminophen and ibuprofen have equal tolerability. Acetaminophen produced a greater body temperature reduction at 0.5 hour after intervention compared with ibuprofen. However, ibuprofen provides a longer duration of antipyretic effect than acetaminophen 4 hours after intervention, and the initial temperature decrement lasts longer.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether evidence in the medical literature supports ibuprofen or acetaminophen for reducing fever in children. METHODS: Both MEDLINE and the Science Citation Index were searched using various medical subject headings for all articles published worldwide from 1966-2000. The language of publication was not restricted. RESULTS: Initially, 4132 articles were found that dealt with either ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Limiting these articles to humans and children, and cross-referencing with the Science Citation Index resulted in 68 articles; 22 satisfied the inclusion criteria and were further assessed for validity, design, and methods of reporting data. CONCLUSION:Acetaminophen and ibuprofen have equal tolerability. Acetaminophen produced a greater body temperature reduction at 0.5 hour after intervention compared with ibuprofen. However, ibuprofen provides a longer duration of antipyretic effect than acetaminophen 4 hours after intervention, and the initial temperature decrement lasts longer.