Purpose of review: To examine the literature evidence for the association between acetaminophen (paracetamol) use and development of rhinitis.
Recent findings: Increased use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) as the favored antipyretic during pregnancy and infancy has been hypothesized to be a risk factor for the development of asthma. There is a paucity of well designed birth cohort studies to examine paracetamol as a risk factor in the development of rhinitis. Confounding by antibiotic use, viral infections, and recall bias are problematic for many of the studies that are published.
Summary: Prospective birth cohorts need to dedicate sufficient time and research personnel to adequately assess paracetamol exposure as a primary variable of interest rather than as an incidental exposure variable collected during routine questionnaire administration.