Study finds link between infant paracetamol and asthma

GIVING toddlers Calpol and other paracetamol medication may double their chances of developing asthma in later childhood, according to a study.

Researchers said the commonly administered drug “consumes” an enzyme crucial for clearing up toxins in the lungs.

A study of 620 children found a link between babies who had regularly been given paracetamol and those who developed asthma by the age of 18.

It also revealed that in children with a particular variant of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene, GSTP1, the risk of asthma was 1.8 times higher having been given regular paracetamol.

Paracetamol, the leading children’s brand of which is Calpol, is recommended by the NHS to treat many ailments including headache, stomach ache, ear ache, and reducing fever.

GST genes contain the instructions for making enzymes that use an antioxidant called glutathione to mop up the effects of exposure to toxins in the body and the lungs. This mechanism helps to prevent damage to cells and inflammation.

“Paracetamol, on the other hand, consumes glutathione, reducing the body’s capacity to deal with toxic exposure,” said Xin Dai, who led the research at the University of Melbourne, and presented the results to the European Respiratory Society International Conference in Paris.

Approximately one in 11 children suffer from asthma in the UK and across all ages roughly 1,410 people die from the condition each year.

Ms Dai cautioned that the study does not prove paracetamol causes asthma.

Dr June Raine, of the MHRA, said: “Paracetamol is safe and effective for treating pain and fever. Consult your doctor if symptoms continue.”