1596 hypertyramenemia and hyperpodiactinemia in reye's syn-drome: corroboration of the false neurotransmitter hypothesis

ABSTRACT Several explanations for the encephalopathy in RS including false neurotransmitter activity have been postulated. Our group has recently demonstrated preliminary evidence of a

disturbance in tyrosine metabolism resulting in hypertyraminemia in 14 patients (Ped.64:76,1979). Additionally, we have observed hyperprolactinemia in three cases of stage IV RS (Lancet

2:1097,1979). Utilizing the same radioimmunoassay techniques, plasma tyramines (TM) were measured on 16 additional RS patients. Plasma TM on admission were significantly elevated 6.65 ng/ml

± 1.86 (mean ± S.E.M., range 0.1-36.2) p<0.003 when compared to the control patients without liver disease (range 0.7-1.1 ng/ml). A double antibody RIA was utilized to measure daily serum

prolactin in the same 16 RS patients. Mean peak serum prolactin levels for patients presenting in various stages of coma were: I 15.07(7-28), II 13.7(7-33), III 34.7(14-66), IV 50-6(13-73).

The mean peak serum prolactins in patients presenting in stages III and IV were significantly higher than those presenting in stages I and II (p<0.01) and positively correlated with

admission plasma TM (p<0.04 r=0.61). These findings of hyperprolactinemia and significantly elevated plasma TM in the severely encephalopathic patients indirectly confirm evidence of a

“false neurotransmitter” contribution to the encephalopathy. Hyperprolactinemia may select a subpopulation of RS patients with potential to benefit from attempts to correct neurotransmitter

disturbance with agents such as L-dopa or bromocriptine. ARTICLE PDF AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio Stephen L Newman, 

Bahjat Faraj, Daniel B Caplan & Maurice D Kogut * Emory University School of Madicine, Atlanta, Georgia Stephen L Newman, Bahjat Faraj, Daniel B Caplan & Maurice D Kogut Authors *

Stephen L Newman View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Bahjat Faraj View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed 

Google Scholar * Daniel B Caplan View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Maurice D Kogut View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Newman, S., Faraj, B., Caplan, D. _et al._ 1596 HYPERTYRAMENEMIA AND

HYPERPODIACTINEMIA IN REYE'S SYN-DROME: CORROBORaTION OF THE FALSE NEUROTRANSMITTER HYPOTHESIS. _Pediatr Res_ 15 (Suppl 4), 709 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01613

Download citation * Issue Date: 01 April 1981 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01613 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this

content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative