Objective Regarding the suggested positive association between paracetamol use and allergic diseases with impaired oxidantantioxidant balance and promotion of atopy as proposed mechanisms, the study was aimed to explore the influence of frequent paracetamol use on asthma, hay fever and eczema.

Methods The selfreported data obtained through ISAAC phase 3 questionnaires of 5507 children aged 1216 years from 8 cities in R. Macedonia were used. The frequency of current paracetamol use adjusted for confounding factors outdoor antioxidants fruit, vegetables, cereals and fish intake outdoor oxidants truck passage through the residential street, tobacco smoke exposure, gaswood cooking, woodcoaloil heating was correlated to current wheeze, speechlimiting wheeze and everdiagnosed asthma current rhinoconjunctivitis, interference of its symptoms with daily activities and everdiagnosed hay fever current itchy rash, sleepdisturbing itchy rash and everdiagnosed eczema. The data were statistically analysed by odds ratios OR, 95 CI in binary logistic regression.

Results Paracetamol use at least once monthly, compared to its use at least once yearlynever, increased the risk of current wheeze OR 1.53, 1.21 to 1.94, p0.000, speechlimiting wheeze OR 2.06, 1.36 to 3.12, p0.001, current rhinoconjunctivitis OR 1.80, 1.46 to 2.23, p0.000, interference of its symptoms with daily activities OR 1.66, 1.41 to 1.96, p0.000, everdiagnosed hay fever OR 1.55, 1.21 to 1.98, p0.000, current itchy rash OR 1.69, 1.27 to 2.26, p0.000 and everdiagnosed eczema OR 1.43, 1.03 to 1.98, p0.033.

Conclusion The findings suggest increased risk of asthma, hay fever and eczema by frequent paracetamol use. Paracetamol use was not found to influence everdiagnosed asthma probably because of its low prevalence of 1.8 in our respondents.