• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Reye syndrome

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Reye syndrome is sudden (acute) brain damage (encephalopathy) and liver function problems of unknown cause. The syndrome has been associated with the use of aspirin to treat chickenpox or the flu in children.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Reye syndrome is most often seen in children from 4 to 12 years old. Most cases associated with chicken pox have been shown to occur in children age 5 to 9, while those associated with the flu (influenzae type B) have occurred in children aged 10 to 14.

Children with Reye syndrome get sick very suddenly. Typically, Reye syndrome follows an upper respiratory infection (URI) or chickenpox by about 1 week. It frequently begins with vomiting, which is persistent over many hours.

The vomiting is rapidly followed by irritable and combative behavior. As the condition gets worse, the child may have problems with their alert (conscious) level). Untreated, seizures and coma may develop, which can quickly lead to death.

References:

Cohen J, Powderly WG. Infectious Diseases . 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2004:310-311.

Goetz, CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology . 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2003: 656-657.

Ferri FF. Ferri’s Clinical Advisor: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. 2005 ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2005:738.

Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine . 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001:46-47.

• Review Date: 8/18/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.