BONES 101 | ARTHRITIS | BONE CANCER | JOINT PAIN | BONE HEALTH
Adult Still's Disease
- Adult Stills Disease Definition
- Adult Stills Disease Symptoms
- Adult Still's Disease Causes
- Adult Still's Disease Tests
- Adult Still's Disease Treatment
Adult Still's Disease Definition
Adult Still's Disease (AOSD) - a rare illness marked by high fevers, rash, and joint pain, leading to long-term (chronic) arthritis. Fewer than .001% of people develop adult Still's disease annually.
Adult Still's disease patients commonly report fever, painful, swollen and warm joints, sore throat, and rashes on different parts of the body. Symptoms may be more severe in the morning when the bones are stiff and have not moved throughout the night. Some patients report afternoon or evening fevers.
Complications may include breathing pain (Pleurisy), sore throat, anemia, weight loss, and swollen lymph nodes (glands) Rare lung and heart inflammation may develop.
Adult Still's disease is so rare that doctors never try to diagnose it directly. It is usually a conclusion after the doctors have ruled out other diseases. During a physical exam, the doctor may notice a rash or particular signs of Adult Still's disease like lung or heart problems that accompany the joint problems. To make a final diagnosis, doctors may prescribe blood tests for complete blood count, ferritin or fibrinogen levels, or the rheumatoid factor. Other tests like X-rays and MRIs may be needed to check for joint fluid and inflammation.
20% of patients may have full recovery and about 30% of patients experience symptoms relief with eventual relapse. In chronic adult Still's disease cases, the disease may develop into other joints, liver problems, pleural effusion or spleen enlargement.
Sex is often a cause of adult still's disease as more men are affected than women. Other than that, the medical community has not identified distinct causes. Children are also susceptible to this diasese and when the patient is under 16 years old, the disease is usually referred to as Juvenile Still's Disease.
Adult Still's Disease Treatment
Adult Still's disease treatment goals are to control symptom severity. Physical therapy and anti-anflammatory techniques are usually tried first. Doctors recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and sometimes an anti-inflammatory diet as the first form of treatment. In case the disease becomes chronic, medicines that suppress the immune system might be needed. In some cases surgery may replace the damaged joints.