Intravenous and Oral Paracetamol Have the Same Effect in Reducing Fever in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Background: The antipyretic effect of intravenous versus oral paracetamol is not well known. This study was aimed to compare the antipyretic effect of intravenous and oral paracetamol therapy to reduce fever.Materials and Methods: This was an open-label randomized clinical trial study. The subjects were children who presented to Pediatric Ward and Emergency of Haji Adam Malik Hospital, aged from 2 months to 18 years old, with axillary temperature ≥38.0ºC. Subjects were divided into two groups, group 1 received 15 mg/kg paracetamol intravenous and group 2 received the same dose of paracetamol but given through intravenous. The temperature reduction was analyzed by ANOVA, and the change in temperature was recorded at 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after drug administration.Results: In the first group, the mean temperature was decreased (p