Effect of antipyretics on the length of hospital stay of pediatric patients with bacterial infections.
Antipyretic use in pediatric patients with uncomplicated bacterial infections was characterized, and the effect of such therapy on the length of hospital stay of these patients was studied. Study patients were divided into six groups of 30 patients. Patients with pneumococcal pneumonia, staphylococcal cellulitis, or H. influenzae meningitis receiving at least two antipyretic doses were compared with their counterparts receiving one or no antipyretic doses. Of the total 299 antipyretic doses administered, 284 were acetaminophen. Patients with H. influenzae meningitis received a mean of 4.57 doses per patient, which was significantly greater than the other study groups (p less than 0.05). In contrast, patients with staphylococcal cellulitis received the highest mean dose of 12.51 mg/kg of acetaminophen. There appeared to be a relationship between the admitting temperature and the mean length of hospital stay; higher admitting temperatures were correlated with increased length of stay. Analysis of covariance for the different study groups indicated no significant difference in length of hospital stay (p greater than 0.05).
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal