Nimesulide in the treatment of fever: a double-blind, crossover clinical trial.

A double-blind, crossover clinical trial was carried out in subjects with fever, to assess the activity of three antipyretic drugs. Eighteen in-patients with body temperature (axillary) above 38 degrees C were given a single dose of nimesulide 100 mg, acetylsalicylic acid 500 mg, and dipyrone 500 mg, orally according to an incomplete balanced block design. Significant improvement was recorded with nimesulide and dipyrone, which gave similar results. Acetylsalicylic acid normalized body temperature in a few patients. Safety was very satisfactory. No local or systemic side-effects were noted.