Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is the most used drug to control fever, but which is the most effective administration way, the oral or the rectal one? A meta-analysis has been performed, examining 4 randomized trials (3 of them in pediatric patients with 150 subjects, and 1 on adults with 83 subjects): the trials considered the two administration ways. There were no differences between the oral and the rectal ways as to the speed in fever decrease, to the degree of the reduction after 1 and 3 hours and to the highest obtainable decrease in fever. It was not possible to judge its analgesic effect since only one trial analyzed this aspect.
Even if we continue to discuss on which is the best administration way, it seems that the efficacy of paracetamol is independent from its assumption mode.
