Acetaminophen Linked to Asthma in Adolescents
Current acetaminophen use seems associated with asthma in adolescents, according to a cross-sectional study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Researchers surveyed some 360,000 13- and 14-year-olds in 50 countries about their recent (within 1 year) use of acetaminophen and their experience of symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema. They found an exposure-dependent risk for current asthma symptoms, with an odds ratio of 1.43 for medium use (at least once yearly) and 2.51 for high use (at least once monthly) compared with no use. Similarly, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema were associated with recent use.
Oxidant-induced airway inflammation and enhanced Th2 T-cell responses are potential mechanisms to account for these effects.
The authors caution that with their design, "it is not possible" to prove a causal association, and conclude that "randomized controlled trials are now urgently required to investigate this relationship further."
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