Chest Research Foundation, Pune (CRF) is conducting an ongoing clinical study and it released an interim finding on the World Asthma Day. The interim finding says that paracetamol is the common drug used worldwide to relieve pain and fever is having a link with asthma and its usage may cause asthma. This study result is to be presented to the international scientific community at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona.
Dr.Bill Brashier and Dr. Rahul Kodgule are Senior Research Scientists at CRF and they are conducting this clinical study. They say “by a special test, we found that the usage of paracetamol on patients with mild asthma develops increase in airway resistance and it suggests a narrowing of the airways”. They added “it may be due to depletive effect of paracetamol on the protective antioxidant lining of the airways”. The findings now are in line with the findings of the international studies that concluded the association of paracetamol with asthma. But CRF for the first time establishes the causative link between paracetamol and asthma. Brashier added that these findings suggest one should be very cautious in administering paracetamol to patients already diagnosed for asthma. This study was conducted in 20 adults. Paracetamol was given for 15 days to patients with mild to moderate asthma. They developed an increase in airway resistance. DR.Brashier said that ‘this study sample size was low but now, due to the findings, we will embark upon a study with a large group”.