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Edward A. Mortimer, Jr, MD

JAMA. 1987;257(14):1941.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

A report in this issue of THE JOURNAL¹ is the fifth major publication to implicate salicylates in the pathogenesis of Reye's syndrome (RS). This report confirms and strengthens prior observations,^2-5 and I would recommend that attention now turn to such unanswered questions as the pathogenesis of the relationship and why RS occurs primarily with influenza and varicella and rarely with other infections.

The first reasonably conclusive evidence of an association and a tentative warning appeared in 1980,⁶ but no definitive action was taken until 1986. During 1981 through 1985, one thousand three cases of RS with 291 deaths were reported to the Centers for Disease Control⁷; it is likely that up to a third of survivors incurred permanent brain damage. In 1985 only 91 cases were reported, probably attributable to a decline in aspirin use for children.⁸ Most epidemiologists who reviewed the three initial reports . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland

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