Comparative efficacy of aspirin and acetaminophen in the reduction of fever in children.

Antipyretics should be employed in the pediatric population whenever it is the clinical judgment of the attending physician that fever should be lowered. Aspirin and acetaminophen are equally effective as antipyretics. The efficacy and safety of these two most common antipyretic agents are examined, and various studies with these agents are critically reviewed. Since acetaminophen has a greater margin of safety at antipyretic dosages, it is preferred to aspirin when an anti-inflammatory effect is not required. The efficacy and safety of combination therapy with acetaminophen and aspirin in pediatric patients--or an alternative treatment regimen with both these drugs--warrant investigation.