[Reye's syndrome in adults (author's transl)]

The clinical picture of Reye's syndrome, characterized by an acute severe disease of brain and liver, initially has nonspecific generalized symptoms with cough, myalgia, and fever. The prognosis is poor. The disease starts with an infection, quickly followed by vomiting and loss of consciousness. In this phase the serum bilirubin is moderately raised, the transaminases markedly so. In addition to gastro-intestinal bleeding there may be hypoventilation, hypoglycaemia and seizures. Morbid anatomically there is a small-drop fatty infiltration of the liver and other organs with cerebral oedema. Aetiology and pathogenesis remain uncertain. Numerous therapeutic measures have been proposed.