Reye's Syndrome

What Is It?

Reye's syndrome is a very rare disorder that damages many parts of the body, especially the brain and the liver. For reasons that are not yet clear, the parts of the cells that make energy (mitochondria) stop working correctly, affecting reactions throughout the body and causing severe illness. The most serious problems are swelling of the brain and problems with the breakdown of fat, which causes it to build up in the liver and other organs. The illness can be fatal, especially if not detected early and treated appropriately.

Although Reye's syndrome can occur at any age, it is primarily a children's disease, and most often affects children between the ages of 3 and 12.

Reye's syndrome commonly occurs several days after recovering from a viral infection, such as the flu, common cold or chickenpox. It also can develop while the child is still sick, a few days after the viral illness began. While the exact cause of Reye's syndrome is not known, researchers believe that in some cases it is caused by an abnormal response to aspirin or related products taken during a viral illness. For this reason, NEVER give aspirin to children with fever or a flulike illness.

Symptoms

Symptoms can include:

• Frequent vomiting (every couple of hours over a day or two) that does not stop even when not eating or drinking
• Extreme sleepiness (lethargy)
• Confusion
• Irritability and combativeness
• Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures

In infants, the symptoms of Reye's syndrome may not follow this typical pattern. For example, infants with Reye's syndrome do not always vomit.

Diagnosis

The doctor may suspect a child has Reye's syndrome based on the symptoms and a history of very recent viral illness. Blood tests, including tests of liver function, will be done. Other tests often are necessary to confirm the diagnosis, including a biopsy of the liver (a small piece of the liver is removed and examined) and a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to examine spinal fluid. Reye's syndrome can be difficult to diagnose, and it is sometimes mistaken for other serious illnesses, such as encephalitis, meningitis, uncontrolled diabetes, or drug overdose.

Expected Duration

How long it takes to recover from Reye's syndrome depends on how much the brain has swelled. People with mild disease usually recover quickly and completely.

Prevention