[Investigations concerning temperature and serum concentrations of paracetamol in febrile infants following rectal application of paracetamol (author's transl)].

If paracetamol as an antipyretic is applied as suppository, absorption is much slower than after oral application. With the same dosage serum concentrations are lower after rectal application than after oral. It is necessary to give nearly twice the dose using rectal rather than oral application to reach the same antipyretic effect. The duration of efficacy is longer after rectal application because serum concentrations decline slower.