Reactions 706 - 20 Jun 1998

SAntineoplastics

Reye’s syndrome in a child: case reportA 6-year-old boy, who had achieved remission from

Burkitt’s lymphoma after he was treated with antineoplastics*

[dosages not stated], developed Reye’s syndrome 1 year later.The child presented with febrile rhinopharyngitis and was

treated with antibacterials and antipyretics. Three weeks later,he experienced abdominal pain and vomiting, and, thefollowing day, he had a short seizure. He was hospitalised andan examination showed hepatomegaly and decreasedconsciousness. Laboratory tests revealed the following serumlevels: AST 502 IU/L; ALT 320 IU/L; glucose 3.2 mmol/L;ammonia 130 µmol/L and lactic acid 4.6 mmol/L. His reactiveC protein was 5 mg/L. A liver biopsy showed diffuse macro-and microvesicular steatosis without inflammatory infiltration.

The boy was intubated and treated with glucose, IVclonazepam, ampicillin and aciclovir. His level ofconsciousness normalised by hospital day 3 and his liverfunction tests normalised 5 days later.

Author comment: A possible link between chemotherapyand Reye’s Syndrome could be found through the multicentredstudy currently under way in France, which surveys cases ofReye’s Syndrome.

* His antineoplastic regimen included prednisone, vincristine,cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, doxorubicin, etoposide andcytarabine.

Dubern B, et al. Reye’s syndrome in a child having received chemotherapy.Archives de Pediatrie 5: 342-343, Mar 1998 [French; summarised from atranslation] - France 807148681

» Editorial comment: A search of Adisbase and Medlinerevealed only 1 previous case report of a possible associationbetween the use of antineoplastic therapy and the developmentof Reye’s syndrome in children.

1

Reactions 20 Jun 1998 No. 7060114-9954/10/0706-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved