Reye syndrome

Reye syndrome

Neurology A potentially fatal condition characterized by acute encephalopathy and fatty degeneration of liver, with a dose-dependent relationship to use of aspirin in children with viral infections–eg, influenza, varicella-zoster Clinical Vomiting, hepatic dysfunction, variable neurologic impairment–irritable and combative behavior, loss of consciousness, stupor, seizures, coma, death, often preceded by viral URIs or varicella Lab ↑ Transaminases, glutamine and ammonia in CSF, hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis DiffDx Drug & chemicals–Aspirin, other salicylates, acetaminophen, lead, valproic acid, methyl bromide, hydrocarbons, chlordane, ethanol, disulfiram Infectious–viral encephalitis, hepatitis Metabolic–cystic fibrosis, carnitine deficiency, hereditary fructose intolerance, isovaleric acidemia, urea cycle disorders Others–Pancreatic encephalopathy, acute encephalopathy with fatty metamorphosis of the liver due to cold agglutinin autoimmune hemolytic anemia, toxic encephalopathy Treatment None universally accepted. See Lovejoy's classification, Will Rogers phenomenon.