TY - JOUR

T1 - Safety of rapid intravenous paracetamol infusion in paediatric patients

AU - Eliasen, Astrid

AU - Otnes, Sigrid

AU - Matz, Merete

AU - Aunsholt, Lise

AU - Mathiasen, René

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Purpose: Paracetamol is recommended as a first-line treatment for pain and fever in paediatric patients. Intravenous (IV) infusions are recommended to be administered as a 15-min infusion to minimize local tissue trauma and related pain. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that IV paracetamol could be administered during 5 ​min or less in paediatric patients without causing related adverse reactions. Methods: Prospective, observational safety study including children aged <18 years who received IV paracetamol. Pain scores before and after the paracetamol infusions were obtained using VAS, FLACC, COMFORT neo, or COMFORT behaviour scales with scores from 0 to 10 representing no pain to worst pain. Further, objective signs of inflammation at the infusion site were registered. Findings: We included 44 patients (median age 2.8 years, range 0.01–17.0 years) who received paracetamol in a peripheral venous catheter (n ​= ​22) or central venous catheter (n ​= ​22). In total, the 93 paracetamol infusions had a median infusion time of 3:00 ​min, range 0:40 to 5:00 ​min. After infusions, pain scores were lower, compared to before infusions (mean change −0.26, 95% confidence interval −0.45 to −0.07, P ​= ​0.007), and no objective signs of inflammation were reported. Implications: This safety study indicates that IV paracetamol can be administered in paediatric patients with a shorter infusion time than recommended without causing adverse reactions. The results may contribute to a more efficient workflow at paediatric departments.

AB - Purpose: Paracetamol is recommended as a first-line treatment for pain and fever in paediatric patients. Intravenous (IV) infusions are recommended to be administered as a 15-min infusion to minimize local tissue trauma and related pain. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that IV paracetamol could be administered during 5 ​min or less in paediatric patients without causing related adverse reactions. Methods: Prospective, observational safety study including children aged <18 years who received IV paracetamol. Pain scores before and after the paracetamol infusions were obtained using VAS, FLACC, COMFORT neo, or COMFORT behaviour scales with scores from 0 to 10 representing no pain to worst pain. Further, objective signs of inflammation at the infusion site were registered. Findings: We included 44 patients (median age 2.8 years, range 0.01–17.0 years) who received paracetamol in a peripheral venous catheter (n ​= ​22) or central venous catheter (n ​= ​22). In total, the 93 paracetamol infusions had a median infusion time of 3:00 ​min, range 0:40 to 5:00 ​min. After infusions, pain scores were lower, compared to before infusions (mean change −0.26, 95% confidence interval −0.45 to −0.07, P ​= ​0.007), and no objective signs of inflammation were reported. Implications: This safety study indicates that IV paracetamol can be administered in paediatric patients with a shorter infusion time than recommended without causing adverse reactions. The results may contribute to a more efficient workflow at paediatric departments.

KW - Acetaminophen

KW - Adolescents

KW - Children

KW - Neonates

KW - Paediatrics

KW - Paracetamol

U2 - 10.1016/j.crphar.2021.100077

DO - 10.1016/j.crphar.2021.100077

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35005611

AN - SCOPUS:85125606425

VL - 3

JO - Current Research in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery

JF - Current Research in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery

SN - 2590-2571

M1 - 100077

ER -