[Antipyretics indication by pediatricians. Internet as a tool in data collections].
BACKGROUND
Fever is one of the most common complaints in Pediatrics. We performed this study to know how pediatricians use antipyretics to manage fever in children, and Internet was used to collect data.


METHODS
On line survey with a questionnaire regarding general and specific issues about fever.


RESULTS
1600 pediatricians participated. 62% were female, 35% had less than 10 years of practice, 28% between 10 and 20 years of practice, and 33% over 20 years of practice. 67% had training in Pediatrics. 93% use the arm-pit to measure fever and 37% consider over 38 degrees C as being fever. The mostly used antithermic in older than 6 month was Ibuprofeno and in younger than 6 months, Paracetamol. 59% of the pediatricians alternate 2 antipyretics (63.7% with less than 20 year of experience versus 49.3% with > 20 years of experience in their profession); 29% define their actions based on the Argentine Society of Pediatrics guidelines and 26% on their personal experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatricians prescribe antipyretics regularly alternating them in spite of the lack of evidence supporting that behavior. The less experienced the pediatrician, the more frecuent the practice of alternating antipyretics.
Melamud
Ariel
A
arielmelamud@ciudad.com.ar
Suwezda
Alejandro
A
Matamoros
Rodrigo
R
Ringuelet
Lucio
L
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic