A fever is not an illness, but rather an indication of an underlying problem or cause within the body. It is characterized by an elevated core temperature measuring above 100°F (37.8°C).1 This increase in temperature is controlled by the hypothalamus, which raises the thermoregulatory set point in order to defend the body.1 Fevers are a great concern in infants, with more children having reported fevers compared to adults.1 Acetaminophen is both a prescription and an over-the-counter medication commonly used in fever management. It is an FDA-approved antipyretic medication works by inhibiting the body’s center of heat regulation in the hypothalamus.2 Fever is a very common adverse reaction that occurs after immunization.2 Acetaminophen has been used for decades in various settings for its antipyretic effects, however the efficacy and safety of using this agent when immunizing infants is investigated. 3
The clinical trial, “A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Acetaminophen for Prevention of Post-Vaccination …show more content…
aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic acetaminophen in children administered various types of injected vaccinations. Participants of the study were to be healthy, >4,000 g at enrollment, and within the age range of 56-112 days at the time of enrollment. Children were excluded if they were immunodeficient or immunosuppressed, had history of seizures or bleeding disorders, were previously vaccinated or given blood products, had intolerance to acetaminophen, or if their gestational age was 39°C after each dose. Safety endpoints were compared using a 2-sided Fisher exact test. A sample size of 120 infants would give a ≥95% power (alpha=0.05, 2 sided). Therefore, 148 infants were assigned to the acetaminophen group, and 153 were assigned to the control group. Reduction of risk in the infant group was computed to be 43% efficient (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.4,
The clinical trial, “A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Acetaminophen for Prevention of Post-Vaccination …show more content…
aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic acetaminophen in children administered various types of injected vaccinations. Participants of the study were to be healthy, >4,000 g at enrollment, and within the age range of 56-112 days at the time of enrollment. Children were excluded if they were immunodeficient or immunosuppressed, had history of seizures or bleeding disorders, were previously vaccinated or given blood products, had intolerance to acetaminophen, or if their gestational age was 39°C after each dose. Safety endpoints were compared using a 2-sided Fisher exact test. A sample size of 120 infants would give a ≥95% power (alpha=0.05, 2 sided). Therefore, 148 infants were assigned to the acetaminophen group, and 153 were assigned to the control group. Reduction of risk in the infant group was computed to be 43% efficient (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.4,