Adult-Onset Still’s Disease Treatment in Riverside, CA

Overview of Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a rare disease that causes inflammation, or swelling, in the body. It usually causes three main signs:

• High fevers that come back every day.
• Joint pain or arthritis.
• A salmon-pink rash that comes and goes.

The name comes from Still’s disease in children. Doctors call that systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. When the same pattern starts after age 16, it is called adult-onset Still’s disease.

Understanding Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense. In AOSD, it works too hard. It sends out large amounts of signals that cause inflammation. That inflammation causes the fever, rash and joint pain. It can also affect organs such as the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, the lining of the heart and the lungs.

AOSD is different for each person. Some people have one bout that calms down. Some have flares with quiet times in between. Some have joint disease that lasts a long time.

Who Gets Adult-Onset Still’s Disease?

AOSD is rare. It most often starts in young adults, between about 15 and 35 years old. But it can start later in life. Both women and men get it. No one knows the cause. Researchers think genes may play a part. Triggers, such as infections, may also play a part.

Symptoms of Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

• Fevers of 102°F (39°C) or higher. They spike once or twice a day, often in the late afternoon or evening. Then they go back to normal.
• A salmon-pink rash on the chest, belly, back, arms or legs. It often shows up with the fever and fades when the fever goes away.
• Joint pain, swelling and stiffness, most often in the knees, wrists and ankles.
• Sore throat, often when the illness starts or during flares.
• Sore muscles.
• Swollen lymph nodes. Sometimes the liver or spleen gets bigger.
• Chest pain from swelling around the heart or lungs, in some people.

Diagnosis of Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

No single test can show AOSD. A rheumatologist looks at the pattern of your symptoms. They also rule out infections, cancers and other rheumatic diseases that can look the same. Tests often include:

• Blood counts. They often show a high white blood cell count.
• Tests for inflammation, such as the sed rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP).
• Ferritin. This blood protein is often far above normal in AOSD.
• Liver tests.
• Tests for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and rheumatoid factor. These are usually negative in AOSD.
• X-rays or scans, when needed.

Treatment of Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

Treatment aims to calm the inflammation and ease your symptoms. It also protects your joints and organs. Your rheumatologist chooses medicines based on how active the disease is. They may use:

• Anti-inflammatory medicines.
• Corticosteroids.
• Disease-modifying medicines.
• Biologic medicines that block certain signals that cause inflammation.

Regular checkups and blood tests help your care team see how well treatment works. They change it over time as needed.

Living With Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

• Keep a record of your fevers, rashes and joint symptoms to share at your visits.
• Go to all your follow-up visits and lab tests.
• Stay active as much as your joints allow. Rest during flares.
• Tell your doctor right away about new symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath.