Treatment Of Fever In The Emergency Department

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Fever is a frequent cause of admission to the Emergency Department (ED) around the world. While it can be caused by a wide range of conditions, the most effective treatment based on its etiology is still undetermined. This observational, prospective, single-center study enrolled adult patients who accessed the ED for fever, with the aim to define the most effective treatment for them.

Detailed Description
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Physicians were free to administer paracetamol 1000 mg (P), the combination paracetamol 500 mg/ibuprofen 150 mg (PI) or Ibuprofen 600 mg (I).The primary endpoint was both 1-degree and 1-point reduction in body temperature for all associated symptoms on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) after 1 hour (T1). Secondary endpoint was the reduction of at least 2 points on the NRS after two hours (T2). Adverse events, the needing of a rescue therapy and the response based on the underlying etiology (bacterial, viral, or immune/neoplastic) were also evaluated.

Official Title
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Treatment Of Fever And Associated Symptoms In The Emergency Department: Which Drug To Choose?

Conditions
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Fever

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Paracetamol


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: fever with/without associated symptoms adults who had given their consent to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: age < 18 years old contraindications or allergies to Paracetamol, Ibuprofen or to the combination Paracetamol/Ibuprofen patients unable to take oral drugs patients who did not express their consent to participate to the study

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 95 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Drug: Paracetamol|Emergency physicians were free to administer paracetamol 1000 mg (P), the combination paracetamol 500 mg/ibuprofen 150 mg (PI) or Ibuprofen 600 mg (I)|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| body temperature | the reduction of 1-degree of body temperature after 1 hour (T1) after the drug administration | 1 hour | 
| Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) | the reduction of 1-point for all associated symptoms on NRS after 1 hour (T1) after the drug administration. NRS is a 0-10 scale tool to assess pain severity, with zero that means no pain and 10 the worst pain. | 1 hour | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| the reduction of at least 2 points on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) after two hours (T2) after the drug administration | the secondary endpoint was to evaluate the number of patients (%) who obtained a reduction of at least 2 points on the NRS scale, in at least one of the symptoms associated with fever 2 hours after the antypiretic administration (T2). NRS is a 0-10 scale tool to assess pain severity, with zero that means no pain and 10 the worst pain. | 2 hours | 
| rescue therapy | to identify the number of patients (%) who needed a rescue therapy | 2 hours | 
| adverse events | to identify the percentage (%) of adverse events | 2 hours | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Fever, Paracetamol, Paracetamol/Ibuprofen, Emergency Department