Study suggests that paracetamol and ibuprofen have similar efficacy in children

In contradiction to the common perception that paracetamol is safer than ibuprofen in children, a recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests that there is "no evidence that one drug is any less safe than the other."Research in adults suggests that paracetamol and ibuprofen compare equally well, yet investigations into their use in children have yielded mixed results. As a result, the authors conducted the current study to summarize the literature testing the efficacy and safety of single-dose paracetamol and ibuprofen for treating children's fever or moderate to severe pain. A structured review of a number of computerised databases and registries was conducted, together with a search of relevant journals and bibliographies.The investigators found that both drugs appeared to treat children's pain equally well, although ibuprofen appeared somewhat better at reducing fever. Results showed that single doses of ibuprofen (4-10 mg/kg) and paracetamol (7-15 mg/kg) have similar efficacy for relieving moderate to severe pain, and similar safety to other analgesics or antipyretics. Ibuprofen (5-10 mg/kg) was considered to be a more effective antipyretic than paracetamol (10-15 mg/kg) at 2, 4, and 6 hours post-treatment.Commenting on their findings, lead author Dr David Perrot states, "There has been a tendency for (general practitioners), pediatricians, pharmacists and nurses to emphasise the common perception that paracetamol is safer than ibuprofen," adding, "but, taken as a whole, the studies we reviewed provide no evidence that one drug is any less safe than the other."However, Dr Perrott cautioned that these findings are based on scant research comparing how well and safely ibuprofen and paracetamol work for children. Indeed, the authors recommend "more research" into the safety and effectiveness of these two drugs in treating children's pain or fever from ailments such as headaches, muscle aches and colds or the flu. Reference...