A COMPARATIVE STUDY EVALUATING THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF PARACETAMOL AND MEFENAMIC ACID IN FEBRILE CHILDREN

Background:Fever is one of the most common symptoms in paediatric practice. Paracetamol and mefenamic acid are frequently prescribed antipyretics, but comparative data on their safety and efficacy in children are limited.

Objective:To compare the safety and efficacy of paracetamol and mefenamic acid in the management of fever in children.

Materials and Methods: A prospective, randomized, comparative clinical study was conducted in the paediatric inpatient at paediatricdepartment of MGM Medical College and Hospital,Aurangabad.Atotalof 120 children aged 1 year to 14 years with documented fever{temp>99.5Farenheit} were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either oral paracetamol (10-15 mg/kg) or oral mefenamic acid (4-8 mg/kg) at recommended dosing intervals. Temperature reduction was assessed at baseline and at regular intervals1 hour, 4 hours and 6 hours then repeat the cycle for recording body temperature post-administration. Adverse drug reactions were monitored throughout the treatment period. Data were analysed using appropriate statistical tests, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results: Both paracetamol and mefenamic acid significantly reduced body temperature from baseline at all measured time points (p < 0.05). The mean time to achieve normothermia was slightly shorter in the mefenamic acid group, though not statistically significant. Adverse effects were mild and self-limiting, with gastrointestinal discomfort being the most common in the mefenamic acid group.