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The Safety of Ibuprofen in Children with COVID-19

By Landon Jones, MD and Richard M. Cantor, MD, FAAP, FACEP | on May 21, 2020 | 1 Comment
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Editors’ Note: This article was accepted on April 6, 2020, and was accurate at that time. Because information about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 is evolving rapidly, please verify these recommendations and information.

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ACEP Now: Vol 39 – No 05 – May 2020

Are there any studies on the harm of using ibuprofen in children with COVID-19?

In early March, a southwest French infectious disease physician was reported to have made comments about an association between ibuprofen and serious symptoms in children who were COVID-19 positive.1 While these patients reportedly developed serious side effects, the outcomes of these anecdotal cases are unknown, and as of March 27, the youngest COVID-19 death in France was a 16-year-old patient, according to the New York Post. Social media reports spread quickly, and on March 14, a French health minister commented, saying “taking anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, cortisone…) could be an aggravating factor for the infection. If you have a fever, take paracetamol [acetaminophen].”1 Shortly after, the World Health Organization made a supportive statement, which it soon retracted.2

At the end of the day, the answer is no. Currently, no published medical literature demonstrates worsening outcomes from ibuprofen in COVID-19-positive pediatric patients.

For any infectious disease that causes a fever, children should be fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours before returning to day care, school, or social activities.

Conclusion

There is currently no published medical literature to suggest a worsening outcome in COVID-19-positive pediatric patients who use ibuprofen.

References

  1. Day M. COVID-19: ibuprofen should not be used for managing symptoms, say doctors and scientists. BMJ. 2020;368:m1086.
  2. Sodhi M, Etminan M. Safety of ibuprofen in patients with COVID-19; causal or confounded? [published online ahead of print March 31, 2020]. Chest.

Topics: COVID-19IbuprofenPediatricsQuality & Safety

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About the Authors

Landon Jones, MD

Dr. Jones is associate professor and pediatric emergency medicine fellowship director at the University of Kentucky Department of Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics in Lexington, Kentucky.

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Richard M. Cantor, MD, FAAP, FACEP

Dr. Cantor is professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics, director of the pediatric emergency department, and medical director of the Central New York Regional Poison Control Center at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York.

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One Response to “The Safety of Ibuprofen in Children with COVID-19”

  1. May 30, 2020

    Walt Green MD Reply

    Dr. Jones, really helpful stuff in this pandemic that has been filled with really poor evidence based medicine. Short, sweet, and too the point. Thanks a ton!

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