Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsWhat Is the Cause of Reye’s Syndrome?DiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
What Is the Cause of Reye’s Syndrome?
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Reye’s syndrome (RS) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that affects the brain and liver, causing vomiting, seizures, confusion, personality changes, and loss of consciousness.
Children are almost exclusively affected, with 90% of cases occurring after a child is givenaspirinto treat a viral infection like the flu orchickenpox.For this reason, experts advise against the use of aspirin in children or teens who have either of these illnesses.
RS is treated as a medical emergency with the risk of death hovering between 20% and 40%.
This article describes the symptoms and causes of Reye’s syndrome, including how this rare but deadly condition is diagnosed and treated.
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Reye’s Syndrome Symptoms
Reye’s syndrome typically occurs when a viral infection like the flu (influenza) or chickenpox (varicella virus) is almost over and the child is starting to recover.
The symptoms of RS typically develop three to five days after the start of an infection like the flu or chickenpox and progress in five characteristic stages:
First Stage
Second Stage
Third Stage
Fourth Stage
Fifth Stage
The cause of Reye’s syndrome is unknown but it is strongly linked to the use of aspirin (salicylates) to treat upper respiratory infections in kids. Adults are rarely affected.
With parents warned against the use of aspirin in children and teens, the incidence of RS in the United States has dropped to only around two cases per year. Most cases occur duringflu season, primarily during January, February, and March.
Reye’s syndrome is not contagious.
Can Ibuprofen Cause Reye’s Syndrome?
Because aspirin andAdvil (ibuprofen)both belong to a class of drugs callednonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), there has long been a theoretical risk that ibuprofen could also cause Reye’s syndrome.
How Is Reye’s Syndrome Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of Reye’s syndrome is based on the symptoms and the timing of symptoms (particularly if aspirin was used).
Lab tests can be used to support the diagnosis, including:
Other illnesses have symptoms similar to Reye’s syndrome, so healthcare providers may order additional tests to rule out other causes, such as:
Reye’s Syndrome Treatment
Reye’s syndrome almost always involves care in an intensive care unit (ICU). To relieve encephalitis, a type of sugar called mannitol may be delivered intravenously (into a vein) to help lower ammonia levels along withcerebral edema(build-up of fluid in the brain).
The treatment of Reye’s syndrome is mainly supportive and often includes:
How to Prevent Reye’s Syndrome
Since aspirin is strongly linked to Reye’s syndrome, the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation, the U.S. Surgeon General, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise against the use of aspirin in children or teens with the flu or chickenpox.
This not only includes aspirin brands but also aspirin-containing products.
Medications to avoid include:
List of Products Containing Aspirin
Summary
Reye’s syndrome is a rare condition affecting the brain and liver that mainly affects children recovering from a viral illness who have taken aspirin. Symptoms range from headache, personality changes, and vomiting to seizures, unconsciousness, and coma.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Reye’s syndrome.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reye syndrome.Reye’s Syndrome Foundation.What is Reye’s syndrome?Lesko SM, Mitchell AA.An assessment of the safety of paediatric ibuprofen: A practitioner-based randomized clinical trial.JAMA.1995;273:929–33.Walsh P, Rothenberg SJ, Bang H.Safety of ibuprofen in infants younger than six months: a retrospective cohort study.PLoS One.2018;13(6):e0199493. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0199493
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Reye’s syndrome.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reye syndrome.Reye’s Syndrome Foundation.What is Reye’s syndrome?Lesko SM, Mitchell AA.An assessment of the safety of paediatric ibuprofen: A practitioner-based randomized clinical trial.JAMA.1995;273:929–33.Walsh P, Rothenberg SJ, Bang H.Safety of ibuprofen in infants younger than six months: a retrospective cohort study.PLoS One.2018;13(6):e0199493. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0199493
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Reye’s syndrome.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reye syndrome.Reye’s Syndrome Foundation.What is Reye’s syndrome?Lesko SM, Mitchell AA.An assessment of the safety of paediatric ibuprofen: A practitioner-based randomized clinical trial.JAMA.1995;273:929–33.Walsh P, Rothenberg SJ, Bang H.Safety of ibuprofen in infants younger than six months: a retrospective cohort study.PLoS One.2018;13(6):e0199493. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0199493
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Reye’s syndrome.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Reye syndrome.
Reye’s Syndrome Foundation.What is Reye’s syndrome?
Lesko SM, Mitchell AA.An assessment of the safety of paediatric ibuprofen: A practitioner-based randomized clinical trial.JAMA.1995;273:929–33.
Walsh P, Rothenberg SJ, Bang H.Safety of ibuprofen in infants younger than six months: a retrospective cohort study.PLoS One.2018;13(6):e0199493. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0199493
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