Reye's Syndrome
Definition
Reye's syndrome is a disorder principally affecting the liver and brain, marked by rapid development of life-threatening neurological symptoms.
Description
Reye's syndrome is an emergency illness chiefly affecting children and teenagers. It almost always follows a viral illness such as a cold, the flu, or chickenpox. Reye's syndrome may affect all the organs of the body, but it most seriously affects the brain and liver. Brain swelling and massive accumulations of fat in the liver and other organs lead to the rapid development of severe neurological symptoms, including lethargy, confusion, seizures, and coma. Reye's syndrome is a life-threatening emergency, with a fatality rate of about 30 to 50...
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