Significance of positive spike burst in Reye syndrome.

We have previously reported a high incidence of 14-and 6-cps positive spike bursts in comatose patients with Reye syndrome. To further demonstrate this association, positive spike bursts were obtained in three additional cases but only in certain stages during the acute phase of illness. They varied in frequency from 7 to 13 cps, presumably reflecting the degree of slowing of the background EEG activity. A loud noise or other stimuli often precipitated the bursts, particularly when high amplitude delta waves were prominant. We believe that the presence of the positive spike bursts in comatose patients may be of diagnostic significance in Reye syndrome and that an undetermined metabolic or biochemical disturbance may be responsible for their appearance.