Reye's syndrome. An epidemiologic analysis of mild disease

• Published in: American journal of diseases of children (1960) Vol. 140; no. 12; p. 1231
• Main Authors: Holtzhauer, F J, Campbell, R J, Hall, L J, Halpin, T J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-12-1986
• Subjects: Acetaminophen - administration & dosage; Ammonia - blood; Aspirin - administration & dosage; Bilirubin - blood; Female; Humans; Male; Reye Syndrome - blood; Reye Syndrome - classification; Reye Syndrome - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0002-922X
• DOI: 10.1001/archpedi.1986.02140260033020

Patients with Reye's syndrome (RS) whose degree of severity was classified as stage 0 (alert and awake) were compared with patients with a severity classification of stage 1 or greater. The Centers for Disease Control case definition and staging criteria were used. Two hundred twenty-seven patients with RS were investigated by the Ohio Department of Health from Dec 1, 1978, through March 31, 1980. There were 67 identified patients who never exceeded stage 0 and 160 patients classified as stage 1 or greater. Both groups of patients were compared according to demographic features, symptomatology, medication use during the antecedent illness, and laboratory findings during the RS illness. Stage 0 patients were similar to patients at stage 1 or greater in their demographic features, illnesses, medications preceding RS, and results of liver function tests; however, values of serum ammonia, creatine phosphokinase, prothrombin time, and bilirubin increased with RS severity.