| Perry HE, et al, 1998, USA | 25 patients (<16 years) attending an emergency department less than 24 hours after a single, potentially toxic overdose of paracetamol, given IV N-acetylcysteine (NAC). | Observational | Hepatotoxicity (transaminases >1000 u/l) | 8% IV; 6.9% oral; 0% either group when treated <10 hours after ingestion | Small non-randomised study |
| 29 patients previously given oral NAC were used as historical controls. | | Encephalopathy Coagulopathy requiring FFP | 0% IV; 3.4% oral None noted | |
| Buckley NA, et al, 1999, Australia | 5 observational studies | Meta-analysis | Hepatotoxicity | There was no significant difference in the hepatotoxicity rates between IV and oral NAC. | Meta-analysis IV data was pooled from 4 studies (total of 341 patients) but oral data was taken from only one (1462 patients) of the 3 eligible studies (248 patients excluded) |