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What is Reye's Syndrome?
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.
Is there any treatment?
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.
What is the prognosis?
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.
What research is being done?
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.
To read the rest of this article, and see a list of studies
being conducted on Reye's Syndrome, please click here: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/reyes_syndrome.htm
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