Prophylactic Acetaminophen Could Lower Response to Childhood Immunizations

Because of concern about febrile seizures or other potential complications, some practitioners prescribe prophylactic antipyretics after routine childhood immunizations, although this practice has not been studied carefully.

With funding from a vaccine manufacturer, Czech investigators randomized 459 healthy infants to receive prophylactic acetaminophen (given immediately and twice more within 24 hours) or no antipyretic after each of their standard primary and booster immunizations during their first 15 months of life. Temperatures ≥38°C occurred significantly less often in the acetaminophen group than in the untreated group after primary (42% vs. 66%) and booster (36% vs. 58%) immunizations. Few patients in either group had temperatures >3…