What is Reyes Syndrome?
Reyes
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. Reyes Syndrome 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. Reyes Syndrome is often misdiagnosed as encephalitis, meningitis, diabetes,
drug overdose, poisoning, sudden infant death syndrome, or psychiatric
illness. Symptoms of Reyes Syndrome 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
Reyes Syndrome in infants do not follow a typical pattern; for example, vomiting does
not always occur.
Aspirin - Reyes Syndrome
The cause of Reyes Syndrome remains a mystery. However studies have
shown that using aspirin or salicylate-containing medications to treat
viral illnesses increases the risk of developing Reyes Syndrome. 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 Reyes Syndrome.
Is there any treatment for Reyes Syndrome?
There is no cure for Reyes Syndrome. 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 Reyes Syndrome 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 Reyes Syndrome. Some evidence suggests that
treatment in the end stages of Reyes Syndrome with hypertonic IV glucose solutions may
prevent progression of the syndrome.
What is the prognosis of Reyes Syndrome?
Recovery from Reyes Syndrome 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 Reyes Syndrome 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
Reyes Syndrome is diagnosed and treated successfully, death is common, often within a
few days.
What research is being done on Reyes Syndrome?
Much of the research on Reyes Syndrome 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 Reyes Syndrome 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 Reyes Syndrome.
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
5600 Fishers Lane
CDER-HFD-210
Rockville, MD 20857
http://www.fda.gov/
Tel: 301-827-4573
888-INFO-FDA (463-6332)
National Reyes Syndrome Foundation
P.O. Box 829
426
North Lewis
Bryan, OH 43506-0829
nrsf@reyessyndrome.org
http://www.reyessyndrome.org/
Tel:
419-636-2679 800-233-7393
Fax: 419-636-3366
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