title: Effects of Acetaminophen consumption in asthmatic children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acetaminophen exposure might be associated with increasing risk of asthma prevalence and other atopic disorders over recent decades. The present study aimed to investigate the association between acetaminophen exposure and the risk of developing childhood asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case - control study was undertaken between March and September 2010 in Urmia district north west of Iran. Subjects were children aged between 2 - 8 years old. Cases were asthmatic children diagnosed based on GINA criteria (n=207) and controls were children without asthma symptoms (n=414) using 1:2 sampling method. Cases and controls were matched for age and gender. Clinical data including Acetaminophen exposure was collected by a questionnaire which completed by interviewing with parents/ guardians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using Acetaminophen during the first year of life had no any effect on the risk of asthma (p=0.19), but amongst 2-8 years old children, this association was observed (p<0.001). There was also a doseresponseassociation between Acetaminophen consumption and risk of asthma (OR: 3.8; 95% CI; 2.15 6.59 for once per 2 to 3 month and OR: 4.2; 2.50 - 7.3 for at least one per month).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using Acetaminophen increases risk of asthma among 2 - 8 years old children. However stronger evidences are required to design evidence-based guidelines to reduce acetaminophen consumption following post - vaccination and other febrile disorders.
authors.affiliation: MSc student of Epidemiology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia Medical University, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oshnouei
authors.forename: Sh
authors.initials: Sh
authors.lastname: Salarilak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalkhali
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karamyar
authors.forename: Mh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahimi Rad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delpishe
keywords: Acetaminophen; Childhood asthma