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Reye's syndrome |
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Reye's syndrome (rīz), rare but life-threatening disease characterized by acute encephalopathy and fatty infiltration of internal organs, especially the liver. It occurs almost entirely in children under age 15. The cause is unknown, but the disease usually follows an acute viral infection (particularly influenza or chicken pox), especially when aspirin aspirin, acetyl derivative of salicylic acid (see salicylate ) that is used to lower fever, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and thin the blood. Common conditions treated with aspirin include headache, muscle and joint pain, and the inflammation caused by rheumatic ..... Click the link for more information. or other salicylates have been given. The symptoms, which occur about a week after the virus infection, are vomiting and disorientation; these may be followed by seizures, coma, and respiratory arrest. Treatment is directed toward reducing brain swelling, correcting blood chemistry changes due to liver damage, and providing respiratory support if needed. Doctors recommend that children be given acetaminophen acetaminophen (əsēt'əmĭn`əfĭn), an analgesic and fever-reducing medicine similar in effect to aspirin . ..... Click the link for more information. rather than aspirin for viral infections or fever fever, elevation of body temperature above the normal level, which in humans is about 98°F; (37°C;) when measured orally. Fever is considered to be a symptom of a disorder rather than a disease in itself. ..... Click the link for more information. . Reye's syndrome [′rīz ‚sin‚drōm] (medicine) An uncommon liver disorder primarily occurring in infants and young children; characterized by convulsions, hypoglycemia, and a liver showing diffuse microvacuolar fatty metamorphosis. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Since about 1980, most doctors have considered aspirin too risky to give to children, even for such purposes as cold-symptom relief, because it increases risk of Reye's syndrome. More rare neurological developments include Guillain-Barre syndrome (a rapidly progressive neuropathy) and Reye's syndrome (a fatty degeneration of the liver and other viscera). But even following salicylate use, Reye's syndrome remains a rare condition in absolute risk terms, with only 25 cases occurring in the United Sates in 1989 (a population incidence of 1. |
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