Antipyretic measures for treating fever in malaria

Antipyretic measures for treating fever in malaria 

Martin M Meremikwu1,*, Chibuzo C Odigwe2, Bridget Akudo Nwagbara3, Ekong E Udoh

1 University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
2 Institute of Tropical Disease Research & Prevention, Nigeria Effective Health Care Alliance Programme, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
3 University Of Calabar Teaching Hospital ,Calabar, Institute of Tropical Disease Research and Prevention, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

Meremikwu MM, Odigwe CC, Akudo Nwagbara B, Udoh EE. Antipyretic measures for treating fever in malaria. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD002151.

To read the full review please follow this link:  DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002151.pub2.

Fever is a common symptom of malaria. Antipyretic drugs (fever-relieving medicines) and physical measures (such as tepid sponging) are widely used by caregivers and health care workers to treat fever in adults and children with malaria. Some researchers have questioned the belief that treating fever with antipyretic drugs is beneficial. They suggest that it may actually prolong the time taken for the malaria parasite to be cleared from the blood system. This review looked for evidence from appropriate types of research that addressed these issues. We found only a few small trials and could not obtain sufficient information from these trials to reach a conclusion on whether the antipyretic drugs actually help to resolve malaria symptoms or prolong the illness.