Criteria
Reye Syndrome 1990 case definition[24]
Reye syndrome is defined as an illness that meets all the following criteria:
Acute, noninflammatory encephalopathy with either sterile CSF containing <9 WBCs/mL or cerebral edema without inflammation evident on histology
Hepatic dysfunction documented by either a threefold elevation of serum transaminases and/or ammonia or liver biopsy demonstrating fatty infiltration
No other diagnosis to account for the cerebral and hepatic derangement.
Clinical stages (modified from Hurwitz)[2]
The National Reye Syndrome Surveillance System has described increasing stages of severity:
Stage 1: Lethargic, vomiting
Stage 2: Irritable, delirious, hyperreflexive, positive Babinski sign, dilated/sluggish pupils, responsive to pain
Stage 3: Decorticate posturing, obtunded, unresponsive to pain
Stage 4: Decerebrate posturing, comatose, fixed/dilated pupils
Stage 5: Areflexia, flaccid paralysis, unresponsive pupils, seizures, respiratory failure
Stage 6: Patient cannot be classified as he/she has been treated with curare or another medication that alters the level of consciousness.
Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer