"A new study finds young children with mild persistent asthma can tolerate acetaminophen without the worsening of asthma when compared with ibuprofen use. The study funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes NHLBI asthma network AsthmaNet appears in the August   issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Previous observational studies had suggested that acetaminophen use was associated with asthma symptoms says Kristie Ross MD MS Clinical Director Division of Pediatric Pulmonology AllergyImmunology and Sleep Medicine at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies  Childrens Hospital UH Rainbow and coauthor on the study. Results from this randomized controlled study showed that in young children with mild asthma acetaminophen used as needed was not associated with increased asthma flares or more asthma symptoms. These findings can help us reassure parents of young children with asthma that they can continue to use acetaminophen on an as needed basis and as directed to treat pain and fever without concern that it will worsen asthma symptoms.  Dr. Ross who is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine was joined by UH Rainbow colleagues and study coauthors James Chmiel MD MPH Professor of Pediatrics and Ross Myers MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics.  To assess the impact of acetaminophen use on childrens asthma AsthmaNet investigators studied  children aged  to  years old who had mild persistent asthma defined as symptoms on more than  days out of a week but not daily. All children required daily inhaled treatments to manage their asthma. During the study caregivers used either acetaminophen commonly known as Tylenol or ibuprofen Advil Motrin whenever a child needed pain relief or had a fever. None of the study investigators children or caregivers knew which study drug each child was receiving.  The study did not detect any worsening of asthma in the children treated with acetaminophen compared with those receiving ibuprofen. This was measured by asthma exacerbation rate the number of days of asthma control the need for rescue medications and unscheduled medical visits for asthma. They also did not find any significant differences in safety between the two drugs.  AsthmaNet is a nationwide clinical research network created by the NHLBI in . The purpose of AsthmaNet is to develop and conduct multiple clinical trials that explore new approaches in treating asthma from childhood through adulthood. AsthmaNet studies are currently being conducted in  states. In the United States more than  million people are known to have asthma. The Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and AllergyImmunology at UH Rainbow is currently recruiting for a number of asthmarelated clinical trials. If you are interested in enrolling in a study or learning more about the opportunities please visit http About University Hospitals Rainbow Babies  Childrens Hospital  Internationally renowned UH Rainbow Babies  Childrens Hospital is a fullservice childrens hospital and pediatric academic medical center with experts in  medical divisions and  surgical specialties who offer nationally ranked care not available at other institutions in the region including a center dedicated to adolescent and young adult cancer treatment and Northeast Ohios only singlesite provider of advanced maternal fetal medicine and neonatology services. As the primary pediatric affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in the region UH Rainbow Babies  Childrens Hospital offers access to novel therapies advanced technologies and clinical discoveries long before they are available nationwide. Rainbow pediatric specialists  all of whom also serve on the faculty at the School of Medicine  are engaged in todays most advanced clinical research and are widely regarded as the best in the nation  and in some specialties the best in the world. Learn more at Rainbow.org. About Case Western Reserve University  Case Western Reserve University is one of the countrys leading private research institutions. Located in Cleveland we offer a unique combination of forwardthinking educational opportunities in an inspiring cultural setting. Our leadingedge faculty engage in teaching and research in a collaborative handson environment. Our nationally recognized programs include arts and sciences dental medicine engineering law management medicine nursing and social work. About  undergraduate and  graduate students comprise our student body. Visit case.edu to see how Case Western Reserve thinks beyond the possible. About the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute NHLBI NHLBI plans conducts and supports research related to the causes prevention diagnosis and treatment of heart blood vessel lung and blood diseases and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease healthy weight for children and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at http  About the National Institutes of Health NIH NIH the nations medical research agency includes  Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic clinical and translational medical research and is investigating the causes treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs visit http"