Does paracetamol cause eczema or bronchiolitis in infants?

Taking paracetamol for fever or pain within the first year of life is not associated with an increased risk of developing eczema or bronchiolitis in infants.

Prof. Stuart Dalziel (University of Auckland, New Zealand) presented results from the PIPPA Tamariki trial (ACTRN12618000303246), a randomised, open-label study investigating whether the use of paracetamol or ibuprofen in infancy influences asthma development at 6 years of age. The interim, based on 3,923 enrolled infants, examined the occurrence of eczema and bronchiolitis within the first year of life [1].

Study participants received a median of 16 paracetamol doses and 10 ibuprofen doses. The prevalence of eczema was 16.2% in infants receiving paracetamol and 15.4% in infants receiving ibuprofen, corresponding to a risk difference of 0.8% (95% CI -1.5 to 3.1; P=0.48). Similarly, 4.9% and 4.3% of infants in the paracetamol and ibuprofen groups, respectively, developed bronchiolitis, a risk difference of 0.7% (95% CI -0.6 to 2.0; P=0.32). After adjustment for household clustering, no between-group differences were observed in hospitalisations due to infection or serious adverse events.

“There was no evidence of a difference in the risk of eczema and bronchiolitis at age 1 year when comparing paracetamol versus ibuprofen when used as required for fever and pain,” concluded Prof. Dalziel. “Clinicians and caregivers can have confidence in the safety of either of these common medications in the first year of life.”

1. Dalziel S, et al. Paracetamol compared to ibuprofen as required for pain or fever: One-year outcomes for eczema and bronchiolitis in the PIPPA Tamariki RCT. ERS Congress, 27 September–1 October 2025, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

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Posted on 30 October 202530 October 2025