Randomized controlled trial of the effect of regular paracetamol on influenza infection

Jefferies, Sarah; Braithwaite, Irene; Walker, Steven; Weatherall, Mark; Jennings, Lance; Luck, Michelle; Barrett, Kevin; Siebers, Robert; Blackmore, Timothy; Beasley, Richard; Perrin, Kyle

NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; SD, standard deviation. larger number of participants in the placebo group who had chronic respiratory conditions and/or had the seasonal influenza vaccine compared with the control group. It is unclear to what extent these characteristics may have influenced participant symptom scores, if at all. All participants were admitted to the CTU for the first 48 h of the trial period. Consequently for that period, there was full compliance with the study drug and temperature recordings were complete and accurate. Adherence with medication after discharge was approximately 90% in both groups. All participants were administered a 5-day course of oseltamivir in accordance with international recommendations for management of influenza infection at the time of protocol development. 28 Although this may have reduced the illness severity and viral load, the effect of oseltamivir would have been the same across both the paracetamol and placebo groups. 29 However, it is possible that its use may have reduced our ability to detect a significant difference between randomized treatments for the primary outcome. Most patients were recruited following attendance at Table 3 The maximum daily temperature, total daily symptom score and AUC of health status VAS according to randomized treatment in 80 randomized participants, and interaction between influenza PCR status and randomized treatment their primary healthcare clinic with an influenza-like illness and so the findings are generalizable to both the management of otherwise healthy adults with an influenza-like illness, and to those with proven influenza infection in the community.