Update: Reye Syndrome Pilot Study -- United States, 1984
The results of a pilot study examining the possible
relationship
between Reye syndrome and medications were recently reported for 29
Reye syndrome patients and 143 controls (1). An independent expert
panel that reviewed hospital records for cases included in this
analysis has determined that supplemental laboratory and autopsy
results obtained for one additional patient, originally excluded
because of insufficient information, are consistent with the
diagnosis
of Reye syndrome.
Analysis of medication data for the 30 patients, including
information obtained for this case and its matched controls,
revealed
that 28 (93%) of 30 cases (compared with the originally reported 28
(97%) of 29 cases) were exposed to salicylates during antecedent
respiratory or chickenpox illnesses (and before a clinically
defined
onset of Reye syndrome), compared with 28% of emergency room, 23%
of
inpatient, 59% of school, and 51% of random digit-dialing controls
matched for similar antecedent illnesses. The association between
Reye syndrome and salicylates remains statistically significant.
Reported by the Reye Syndrome Task Force, consisting of members
from
US Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health,
Office
of the Assistant Secretary of Health, and CDC.
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