Simulated Reye's Syndrome and Salicylate Therapy

A 4-year-old girl with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis developed fever, protracted vomiting, disturbance of consciousness and decorticate posture following the administration of salicylate. There were elevated levels of transaminases in serum, hyperammonemia and a fatty liver. However, the fatty droplets were different electronmicroscopically from that of Reye's syndrome. This observation emphasizes the importance of electronmicroscopic observation of the liver in the differential diagnosis between Reye's syndrome and aspirin-induced encephalopathy, because the clinico-pathological findings of intoxication are so similar.