Reye's Syndrome
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Reye's syndrome (RS) is primarily a children's
disease, although it can occur at any age. It affects all organs of
the body but is most harmful to the brain and the liver--causing an
acute increase of pressure within the brain and, often, massive
accumulations of fat in the liver and other organs. RS is defined as
a two-phase illness because it generally occurs in conjunction with
a previous viral infection, such as the flu or chicken pox. The
disorder commonly occurs during recovery from a viral infection,
although it can also develop 3 to 5 days after the onset of the
viral illness. RS is often misdiagnosed as encephalitis, meningitis,
diabetes, drug overdose, poisoning, sudden infant death syndrome, or
psychiatric illness. Symptoms of RS include persistent or recurrent
vomiting, listlessness, personality changes such as irritability or
combativeness, disorientation or confusion, delirium, convulsions,
and loss of consciousness. If these symptoms are present during or
soon after a viral illness, medical attention should be sought
immediately. The symptoms of RS in infants do not follow a typical
pattern; for example, vomiting does not always occur. The cause of
RS remains a mystery. However studies have shown that using aspirin
or salicylate-containing medications to treat viral illnesses
increases the risk of developing RS. A physician should be consulted
before giving a child any aspirin or anti-nausea medicines during a
viral illness, which can mask the symptoms of RS.
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There is no cure for RS. Successful management,
which depends on early diagnosis, is primarily aimed at protecting
the brain against irreversible damage by reducing brain swelling,
reversing the metabolic injury, preventing complications in the
lungs, and anticipating cardiac arrest. It has been learned that
several inborn errors of metabolism mimic RS in that the first
manifestation of these errors may be an encephalopathy with liver
dysfunction. These disorders must be considered in all suspected
cases of RS. Some evidence suggests that treatment in the end stages
of RS with hypertonic IV glucose solutions may prevent progression
of the syndrome.
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Recovery from RS is directly related to the
severity of the swelling of the brain. Some people recover
completely, while others may sustain varying degrees of brain
damage. Those cases in which the disorder progresses rapidly and the
patient lapses into a coma have a poorer prognosis than those with a
less severe course. Statistics indicate that when RS is diagnosed
and treated in its early stages, chances of recovery are excellent.
When diagnosis and treatment are delayed, the chances for successful
recovery and survival are severely reduced. Unless RS is diagnosed
and treated successfully, death is common, often within a few days.
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Much of the research on RS focuses on answering
fundamental questions about the disorder such as how problems in the
body's metabolism may trigger the nervous system damage
characteristic of RS and what role aspirin plays in this
life-threatening disorder. The ultimate goal of this research is to
improve scientific understanding, diagnosis and medical treatment of
RS.
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Food and Drug Administration
(FDA)
National Reye's Syndrome
Foundation
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