Treatment of adult-onset Still's disease: a review

Management of adult-onset Still's disease: evidence- and consensus-based recommendations by experts

OBJECTIVES

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare condition characterized by fevers, rash, and arthralgia/arthritis; most doctors treating AOSD in the Netherlands treat <5 patients per year. Currently, there is no internationally accepted treatment guideline for AOSD. The objectives of this study were to conduct a Delphi panel aimed at reaching consensus about diagnostic and treatment strategies for patients with AOSD and to use the outcomes as a basis for a treatment algorithm.

METHODS

The Delphi panel brought together 18 AOSD experts: rheumatologists, internists and paediatricians. The Delphi process consisted of three rounds. In the first two rounds, online lists of questions and statements were completed. In the third round, final statements were discussed during a virtual meeting and a final vote took place. Consensus threshold was set at 80%. Two targeted literature searches were performed identifying the level of evidence of the consensus-based statements.

RESULTS

Consensus was reached on 29 statements, including statements related to diagnosis and diagnostic tests, definition of response and remission, the therapy, the use of methotrexate and tapering of treatment. The panel consented on reduction of the use of glucocorticoids to avoid side effects, and preferred the use of biologics over conventional treatment. The role of IL-1 and IL-6 blocking agents was considered important in the treatment of AOSD.

CONCLUSION

In this Delphi panel, a high level of consensus was achieved on recommendations for diagnosis and therapy of AOSD that can serve as a basis for a treatment guideline.

Not All Fevers Equal Infection: A Challenging Case of Adult-Onset Still's Disease

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) stands as a perplexing condition with diverse clinical manifestations, posing significant diagnostic challenges for healthcare professionals. This case report delves into the clinical trajectory, diagnostic challenges, treatment strategies, and outcomes experienced by a 67-year-old female with AOSD. This report advocates for considering AOSD as a potential diagnosis in patients presenting with systemic inflammatory symptoms, especially when other conditions have been ruled out. It highlights the complexity of AOSD and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, close monitoring, and personalized treatment strategies to optimize patient outcomes.

Pregnancy-Associated Onset of Adult-Onset Still's Disease

Objective  This study aims to elucidate the clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) during pregnancy, leveraging a case series overview and a detailed case report from our center. Study Design  A comprehensive review of 21 published case reports on AOSD diagnosed during pregnancy was conducted, alongside a detailed case report of a patient diagnosed and managed at our center. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing AOSD in pregnant patients, outlines the therapeutic challenges encountered, and discusses the potential complications arising from the disease and its treatment. Results  The onset of AOSD during pregnancy predominantly occurs in the first or second trimester, with a polycyclic disease course observed in most cases. Management primarily involves corticosteroids and immunosuppressive medications, balancing the disease control with potential pregnancy complications. The case report highlights the complex interplay between AOSD, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, and pregnancy, illustrating a multidisciplinary approach to management that ensured favorable maternal and fetal outcomes despite the significant challenges. Conclusion  AOSD presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges during pregnancy, requiring careful consideration of maternal and fetal health. Early diagnosis, a multidisciplinary approach to care, and judicious use of immunosuppressive therapy are critical for managing AOSD flares and associated complications. Further research is necessary to optimize care for this rare condition in the context of pregnancy.

Care pathway analysis and evidence gaps in adult-onset Still's disease: interviews with experts from the UK, France, Italy, and Germany

Introduction

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. Published AOSD data are limited, and clinical guidelines were lacking until recently. Managing AOSD remains largely empirical with uncertainties and high variability about the optimal care pathway. Therefore, we used a qualitative approach to collect clinical judgments from the UK, Italy, France and Germany to inform the development of an agreed care pathway. Our work aimed to decrease the uncertainty associated with clinical practice, inform future research in AOSD, and help identify standardized definitions and outcomes in this population.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were conducted. Eleven clinicians were interviewed between May and July 2022: four were based in Italy, three in the UK, two in France, and two in Germany.

Results

In this work, we identified the structure of the typical care pathway for AOSD patients, which can be used to inform future economic models in AOSD. The general structure of the pathway was similar across countries. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed during the diagnostic workup while an additive approach is commonly used in confirmed cases: corticosteroids, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, then biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) (dose increased before switching). For severe presentations, more aggressive approaches with higher doses and early use of bDMARDs are used. The main elements of variation among countries and clinicians were the criteria used for diagnosis; order of bDMARDs and preferential treatments for articular and systemic patients; and tests for patient monitoring. There is also a lack of standardized outcome measures making comparisons and evidence synthesis challenging.

Conclusion

We identified important evidence gaps for clinical practice, e.g., reliable tests or scores predictive of disease progression and treatment outcome, and recommendations for research, e.g., reporting of compliance rates and use of the Yamaguchi criteria for clinical study inclusion. Consensus is needed around the use of the Systemic score in clinical practice and the clinical utility of this score. A standardized definition of remission is also required in AOSD, and further research should look to identify and validate the specific laboratory markers to be considered when assessing remission.

Adult-onset Still's Disease Diagnosed during Puerperium with Liver Dysfunction in Pregnancy and Liver Failure of the Infant

Most cases of liver dysfunction in pregnancy are pregnancy-related, but the onset of systemic autoimmune diseases is also differentiated. A 24-year-old woman presented with liver dysfunction at 28 weeks' gestation with suspected autoimmune hepatitis and started taking ursodeoxycholic acid. She gave birth prematurely at 35 weeks' gestation, and the infant presented with pancytopenia and liver failure but survived because of liver transplantation. Since the patient had major symptoms during the puerperium, she was diagnosed with adult-onset Still's disease. When encountering a patient with liver dysfunction during pregnancy, we should also consider the onset of autoimmune diseases.

Adult-onset still's disease and budd-chiari syndrome: A case report

Adult onset still's disease (AOSD) is a rare autoinflammatory disease displaying with a wide range of non-specific symptoms and budd-chiari syndrome (BCS) is an uncommon disorder characterized by obstruction of hepatic venous outflow. We present the case of a young patient who presented with persistent fever, sore throat, elbow, hand fingers and knees arthralgia with abdominal pain. The patient's symptoms had started 7 days before the referral. Imaging and laboratory data led to the diagnosis of BCS in the context of AOSD. The patient treated with corticosteroid in combination of warfarin with favorable outcome and complete improvement of signs and symptoms. We came to this conclusion AOSD complicated with BCS is a rare but potentially life-threatening entity. Clinicians should be aware of this complication.

Improving Diagnosis and Clinical Management of Acquired Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases

Systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAID) are conditions caused by dysregulation or disturbance of the innate immune system, with neutrophils and macrophages the main effector cells. Although there are now more than 40 distinct, genetically defined SAIDs, the genetic/molecular diagnosis remains unknown for a significant proportion of patients with the disease onset in adulthood. This review focuses on new developments related to acquired/late onset SAID, including phenocopies of monogenic disorders, Schnitzler's syndrome, Adult onset Still's disease, VEXAS syndrome, and autoinflammatory complications associated with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Bibliometrics analysis on the research status and trends of adult-onset Still’s disease: 1921-2021

Objectives

The aim of this research is to discuss the research status, hotspots, frontiers and development trends in the field of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) based on bibliometrics and visual analysis by CiteSpace software.

Methods

The relevant research articles on AOSD from 1921 to 2021 were retrieved from the Scopus database. CiteSpace software was used to form a visual knowledge map and conduct analysis for the countries/regions, journals, authors, keywords, clusters, research hotspots and frontiers of the included articles.

Results

There were 2,373 articles included, and the number of articles published during 1921-2021 is increasing. The country with the highest number of articles published was Japan (355, 14.96%), followed by the United States (329, 13.86%) and France (215, 9.06%). The author with the highest number of publications is Ansell, Barbara M. (30, 1.26%), and the author with the highest co-citation frequency is Yamaguchi, Masaya (703). Clinical Rheumatology is the journal with the highest publication frequency. The top five cluster groups were “joint”, “differential diagnosis”, “prednisolone”, “methotrexate” and “macrophage activation syndrome”. The diagnosis, treatment and pathogenesis of AOSD form the main research fields, and prognosis and complications are the research hotspots and trends.

Conclusions

The global research field in AOSD has expanded in the past 100 years. The complications and new pathogenesis of AOSD are hotspots in this field and need further study in the future.

Adult-Onset Still’s Disease with Dermatopathic Lymphadenitis Clinicopathologic Features: A Rare Case Report and Review of the Literature

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by fever, arthritis, and a transient skin rash. It is a rare condition characterized by inflammatory multisystem changes of unknown cause. A 35-year-old woman was admitted to rheumatology department of tertiary care hospital complaining of painful wrist and skin rash as well as fever, generalized lymphadenopathy, weight loss, and fatigue. The early diagnosis of AOSD was confirmed by clinical history, examination, and laboratory tests, as well as a confirmatory skin biopsy with typical histopathological features, namely, upper epidermal dyskeratosis and dermal inflammatory neutrophilic infiltration. The patient’s condition was treated with steroids and NSAIDs, to which she responded well, and on follow-up, her symptoms regressed along with improvement in biochemical parameters. The authors suggest that skin biopsy and confirmation of histopathological diagnosis of AOSD are useful in the diagnosis and proper management of AOSD patients in cases with clinical suspicion of AOSD.

Short-term, low-dose etoposide in refractory adult-onset Still's disease-associated macrophage activation syndrome

INTRODUCTION

In this study, we modified the classical regimen of the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-04 protocol and evaluated the efficacy and safety of short-term, low-dose etoposide in patients with refractory macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) associated with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

METHODS

A total of 17 patients with refractory AOSD-associated MAS were enrolled and received short-term, low-dose etoposide (100 mg twice a week for four times). Another 11 patients, who were not treated with etoposide, were included as historical controls. Patient information, such as clinical manifestations, laboratory results, treatments, and short-term prognosis, were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

In this case series, 88.24% of the patients with MAS who were treated with short-term, low-dose etoposide had a favorable response in 3 weeks, which was significantly higher (p = 0.017) than that in the patients with MAS who were treated without etoposide (45.45%). The 90-day survival rate after the onset of MAS was significantly higher (p = 0.0029) among the patients in the short-term etoposide group (16/17, 94.12%) than in the control group (5/11, 45.45%).

CONCLUSION

The regimen of short-term (2 weeks), low-dose etoposide was highly effective in the treatment for patients with refractory AOSD-associated MAS with an acceptable safety profile. Key Points • There is no high level evidence to guide the management of refractory MAS-associated AOSD patients. • This study was the first to propose and confirm the efficacy and safety of short-term, low-dose etoposide in the treatment of refractory MAS-associated AOSD patients.

Corticosteroid-Induced Liver Injury in Adult-Onset Still’s Disease

Background and Objectives: Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a rheumatic disease characterized by systemic inflammatory symptoms, including intermittent spiking fever, polyarthritis and a distinctive salmon-colored rash. Corticosteroids are the first-line treatment for AOSD. However, corticosteroids are potentially hepatotoxic in certain cases and may complicate the course of the disease. Materials and Methods: A 29-year-old female suffering from fever of unknown origin for two weeks was diagnosed with AOSD according to Yamaguchi’s criteria. She received corticosteroids as the first-line treatment for AOSD and developed acute severe hepatitis. A diagnostic protocol has been performed. Results: Corticosteroid-induced liver injury was confirmed by clinical observation and rechallenge of the drug in this case. The result of liver biopsy also supported the diagnosis. Mycophenolic acid, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) was chosen as an alternative treatment. AOSD remission was achieved under this treatment after three months. Conclusions: Severe acute hepatitis induced by corticosteroids, although very rare, may be observed in patients with AOSD. Drug-induced liver injury needs to be kept in mind when unexpected acute hepatitis is found. Mycophenolic acid could be a proper substitute medication in these cases.

Update on the therapy of adult-onset Still's disease with a focus on IL-1-inhibition: a systematic review

Introduction:

The past decade has seen increasingly rapid advances in understanding the pathogenic nature of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) and its shared symptoms with the systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). Interleukin-1 (IL-1) blocking agents are key elements in the treatment. In this updated systematic review, we focus on studies on efficacy and safety of IL-1 blockers published in the past 5 years and review on latest available therapies.

Methods:

We conducted searches using Medline, Biosis, Embase, and Cochrane databases between 2016 and 2021 using the terms AOSD, IL1, IL-18, canakinumab, anakinra, tadekinig, and rilonacept and if applicable their trade names. Duplicates, case reports, and manuscripts with incomplete data were excluded.

Results:

Of the 1013 screened publications, 17 were eligible after careful selection. We only found two published randomized controlled studies in the past 5 years. Review manuscripts of rare diseases, like our work, usually rely on retrospective studies and case series. Anakinra and canakinumab can be successfully used as first- or further-line treatment in patients with AOSD refractory to steroids. A homogeneous outcome is not established yet. Thus, a combination of clinical and laboratory tests can support the experienced clinician in the decision-making process.

Conclusion:

The approval of IL-1 inhibitors for AOSD brought us into a new era in the treatment of AOSD. The overall efficacy-safety profile of the IL-1 inhibitors is favorable reflecting a targeted approach as standard of care. We can expect that the successful treatment of AOSD with IL-1 inhibition will facilitate further clinical and basic research with impact on other auto-inflammatory and hyper-inflammatory conditions.

Severe Adult Still's Disease Complicated by Purtscher-Like Retinopathy Treated with Intravenous Pulse Methylprednisolone and Tocilizumab

Adult Still's disease (ASD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder in which ocular manifestations have rarely been described. We report a 29-year-old Japanese woman with a rare case of refractory ASD complicated by Purtscher-like retinopathy. She was diagnosed with ASD and started on a high dose of oral prednisolone. Two days after the initiation of the treatment, she presented with blurred vision in the left eye, and the funduscopic examination revealed bilateral Purtscher-like retinopathy. Despite treatment with high-dose oral prednisolone for 2 weeks, she developed macrophage activation syndrome. Considering the severity of ASD, intravenous pulse methylprednisolone therapy and tocilizumab injection were administered. Although all the laboratory data and Purtscher-like retinopathy gradually improved, nerve fiber layer defect (NFLD) in both eyes appeared and visual field defect remained corresponding to the NFLD. In conclusion, Purtscher-like retinopathy might be useful as a poor prognostic factor of ASD, which needs appropriate systemic immunosuppressive treatment. Early detection and long-term follow-up of Purtscher-like retinopathy is important because it has the possibility of developing permanent visual field defect.

Characteristics and Clinical Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the Management of Adult-Onset Still's Disease: 35 Cases

While the diagnosis of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) involves the exclusion of differential diagnoses, the characteristics and value of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) Positron Emission Tomography coupled with CT (PET/CT) in the management of AOSD remain poorly known. Our retrospective study included patients from four centers, fulfilling Yamaguchi or Fautrel criteria, who underwent a PET/CT during an active AOSD. Thirty-five patients were included. At the time of PET/CT, the Yamaguchi criteria were met in 23 of 29 evaluable cases. PET/CT showed bone marrow (74.3%), lymph node (74.3%), and splenic (48.6%) FDG uptake. Despite arthralgia or arthritis in most patients, joints were rarely the sites of 18F-FDG accumulation. The spatial distribution of 18F-FDG uptake was nonspecific, and its intensity could be similar to malignant disease. Lymph node or bone marrow biopsy was performed after PET/CT in 20 patients (57.1%). The intensity of bone marrow; splenic and lymph node hypermetabolism appeared to be correlated with disease activity. Abnormal PET/CT in the cervical lymph nodes and age ≥ 60 years seemed to be predictive factors for monocyclic evolution. The clinical value of PET/CT is not in direct diagnosis; but as an aid in excluding differential diagnoses by searching for their scintigraphic features and guiding biopsy.

A case of recurrence of adult-onset Still's disease in the third trimester: a case report and literature review

Background

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a self-inflammatory disease showing macrophage and neutrophil activation by inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-18. Although some cases with the flare of AOSD during pregnancy have been reported, most had flares in the first or second trimester and few had flares in the third trimester. In this report, we present the case of a patient with recurrent flare of AOSD in the third trimester and discuss the management of AOSD in the third trimester with the review of previous literatures.

Case presentation

A 38-year-old woman in complete AOSD remission without medication presented with impaired liver function, low platelet count, mild fever, abdominal pain, splenomegaly, and elevated ferritin and IL-18 levels at 30 gestational weeks. Although the laboratory data and physical examination finding suggested HELLP syndrome or acute fatty liver of pregnancy and we considered the termination of her pregnancy, her fetus was in a reactive status. Considering her fetal status, some specific findings of AOSD, and her AOSD history, we and rheumatologists diagnosed her with AOSD recurrence and started systemic steroid therapy. In her clinical course, three flares of AOSD occurred, twice in the third trimester and once in postpartum; twice systemic steroid pulse therapies were then needed. Ultimately, a healthy infant was delivered transvaginally at 36 gestational weeks spontaneously.

Conclusions

Specific findings of the flare of AOSD such as fever, splenomegaly, elevated ferritin and IL-18 levels, and fetal status could be useful findings for differentiation from HELLP syndrome and AFLP in the third trimester. With the careful management supported by rheumatologists, patients complicated with the flare of AOSD may continue their pregnancy longer than we expected.

Adult-onset Still's disease evolving with multiple organ failure and death: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease, which is characterized by daily fever and arthritis, with an evanescent rash and neutrophilic leukocytosis. To date, there has been no definite laboratory or imaging test available for diagnosing AOSD; the diagnosis is one of exclusion, which can be very challenging. In particular, AOSD patients may experience different complications affecting their clinical picture, management, and prognosis. The treatment of AOSD remains largely empirical and involves therapeutic agents.

CASE SUMMARY

We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with fever, red rash, arthralgia, and sore throat. Her serum ferritin level and white blood cell count were markedly elevated, and the first diagnosis 22 years prior was "juvenile rheumatoid arthritis of systemic type". The patient was treated with prednisone, sulfasalazine, methotrexate, and leflunomide. After remission of her symptoms, the patient stopped taking the medications, and the disease recurred. Ultimately, the patient was diagnosed with adult-onset Still's disease. Relapse occurred several times due to self-medication withdrawal, and an interleukin-6 antagonist (tocilizumab/Actemra) was administered to control the disease. Recently, she was hospitalized because an incision did not heal, and the patient suddenly developed high fever and diarrhea during hospitalization. The patient's disease progressed violently and quickly developed into macrophage activation syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, shock, and multiple organ failure. The patient had sudden cardiac arrest, and she died despite emergency rescue efforts.

CONCLUSION

AOSD patients need regular follow-up in the long-term treatment process, and must press formulary standard medication, and do not voluntarily withdraw or reduce the dose. Otherwise it may cause disease back-and-forth or serious life-threatening complications. Meanwhile, strict management of trauma, infections, tumors, and other diseases may contribute to improved outcomes in patients with complications.

Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients With Adult-Onset Still's Disease: A Cohort Study From China

Objective: Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an autoinflammatory disease with a higher prevalence rate in young females. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether AOSD has an adverse impact on pregnancy outcomes, or conversely exacerbated by pregnancy.

Methods: The outcomes of 191 pregnancies were evaluated in 86 female patients with AOSD. The generalized linear mixed model and propensity score matching method were conducted to evaluate the influence of AOSD on pregnancy outcomes. A dependent sample sign test was applied to assess the impact of pregnancy on the relapse of AOSD.

Results: The results showed that the post-AOSD group had a lower proportion of normal delivery (25.0 vs. 52.4%, p = 0.036) and a higher proportion of spontaneous abortion (STA) (18.8 vs. 0.6%, p = 0.002) compared with the pre-AOSD group. Moreover, pregnancy after being diagnosed with AOSD was a significant high risk factor of STA (adjusted OR = 4.577, 95% CI: 4.166–845.119; p = 0.003). Disease flare upon conception was observed in one of 16 post-AOSD pregnancies (p = 1.000). There were 11 patients with new-onset AOSD during gestation or postpartum, among which five (45.4%) evolved into the polycyclic course.

Conclusions: AOSD patients might suffer from a higher risk of STA, however, pregnancy might not be related with the exacerbation of diagnosed AOSD. New-onset AOSD during gestation or postpartum tend to evolve into the polycyclic course.

Clinical characteristics and comorbidities in adult-onset Still's disease using a large US administrative claims database

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to describe clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and major comorbidities of a US-based adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) cohort.

METHODS

Administrative claims data from Truven MarketScan were collected from 2009 to 2015. An AOSD case was defined as ≥1 M06.1 International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) medical claim code. We extracted data for the AOSD cohort (n = 106) and 1:5 matched controls (n = 530) without AOSD. Outcomes of interest and a novel claims-based set of Yamaguchi criteria were identified by relevant ICD 9th revision (ICD-9) and ICD-10 codes. Bivariate descriptive analyses were conducted on all variables. Comorbidity rates and rate ratios were calculated in AOSD cases and matched controls. Statistical significance of cohort differences was determined to compare AOSD cases and matched controls.

RESULTS

The AOSD cohort, with a mean age of 43.08 (standard deviation, s.d. 13.9) years and with female predominance (68.9%) was observed over a mean of 750.12 (637.6) days. A total of 35.9% of AOSD patients fulfilled claims-based Yamaguchi criteria compared with 0.4% matched controls (P< 0.05). We identified severe AOSD-related complications, including macrophage activation syndrome (4.7%) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (12.3%). Treatment commonly involved systemic glucocorticoids (62.2%), MTX (51%) and anakinra (24.5%). Compared with matched controls, serious infections were significantly increased (rate ratio 2.58, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.37, P = 0.0004), while hyperlipidaemia (0.54, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.85; P = 0.008) and obesity (0.30, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.62; P = 0.001) were significantly decreased in AOSD patients.

CONCLUSION

We characterized a first US-based AOSD cohort using a large national administrative claims database, and identified key complications, treatments and comorbidities.

Acute severe hepatitis in adult-onset Still's disease: case report and comprehensive review of a life-threatening manifestation

Acute severe hepatitis is a rare complication of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). This condition is poorly characterized. We performed a review of the medical literature to describe clinical, biological, pathological, and treatment characteristics from AOSD patients with acute severe hepatitis. Their characteristics were compared with AOSD patients without severe hepatitis. Twenty-one cases were collected including a new case reported here. Patients with severe hepatitis were mostly young adults with a median age of 28 years (range: 20 to 55 years). Overall, patients with severe hepatitis had less arthritis, macular rash, sore throat, lymphadenopathy, or splenomegaly than patients without severe hepatitis. Cytopenia was more frequent in case of severe hepatitis. Most patients were treated with steroids, and the use of biotherapies has increased over the last decade. Despite treatment, 49% of patients required liver transplantation and 24% died. Key Points • Acute severe hepatitis in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is associated with liver transplantation and/or death in, respectively, 43% and 24% of cases. • Severe hepatitis is the inaugural manifestation of AOSD in half of cases. Diagnosis is difficult when extra-hepatic clinical manifestations are lacking. • The mechanism of hepatic necrosis in AOSD with severe hepatitis is unknown. Liver biopsy is not specific and should not delay treatment initiation.

Canakinumab for Treatment of Adult-Onset Still's Disease to Achieve Reduction of Arthritic Manifestation (CONSIDER): phase II, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, investigator-initiated trial

BACKGROUND

Inhibition of interleukin (IL)-1 represents a promising treatment option in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in patients with AOSD and active joint involvement by means of a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

METHODS

Patients with AOSD and active joint involvement (tender and swollen joint counts of ≥4 each) were treated with canakinumab (4 mg/kg, maximum 300 mg subcutaneous every 4 weeks) or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a clinically relevant reduction in disease activity at week 12 as determined by the change in disease activity score (ΔDAS28>1.2).

RESULTS

At enrolment, patients had high active disease with a mean DAS28(ESR) of 5.4 in the canakinumab and 5.3 in the placebo group, respectively. In the intention-to-treat analysis, 12 patients (67%) in the canakinumab group and 7 patients (41%) in the placebo group fulfilled the primary outcome criterion (p=0.18). In the per-protocol analysis, significantly higher American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 30% (61% vs 20%, p=0.033), ACR 50% (50% vs 6.7%, p=0.009) and ACR 70% (28% vs 0%, p=0.049) response rates were observed in the canakinumab group compared with the placebo group. Two patients in the canakinumab group experienced a serious adverse event.

CONCLUSION

Although the study was terminated prematurely and the primary endpoint was not achieved, treatment with canakinumab led to an improvement of several outcome measures in AOSD. The overall safety findings were consistent with the known profile of canakinumab. Thus, our data support indication for IL-1 inhibition with canakinumab in AOSD.

Neurological manifestations of adult-onset Still's disease-case-based review

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare inflammatory disorder in which pathophysiology is yet to be fully understood. We report the case of a 66-year-old male that presents with fever, arthralgia, and laboratory abnormalities suggestive of a systemic inflammatory disease. During a diagnostic workout, the patient developed neurological symptoms, namely a sudden confounding syndrome and hearing loss that improved with corticosteroid therapy. After exclusion of malignancy, infection-namely nervous system infection-and other rheumatic diseases, AOSD diagnosis was made using the Yamaguchi criteria. In some rare cases, neurological symptoms are present and the diagnosis may become even more challenging if the clinicians are not aware of these rare manifestations of AOSD. Therefore, the authors present the case of a patient with neurological manifestations of AOSD.

The reduction of concomitant glucocorticoids dosage following treatment with IL-1 receptor antagonist in adult onset Still's disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Background:

Despite being burdened by significant adverse events, glucocorticoids (GCs) are frequently employed in managing adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD), prompting the need for GC-sparing agents. In this work, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize the evidence about the reduction of concomitant GCs dosage and the rate of GCs discontinuation in patients with AOSD who were treated with anakinra, a recombinant IL-1 receptor antagonist.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was completed to identify all available data concerning the reduction of concomitant GCs dosage following anakinra in AOSD and a meta-analysis was thus performed using a random-effects model.

Results:

A significant reduction of the GCs dosage was detected by pooled analysis with mean difference of –22.4 mg/day [95% confidence interval (CI): –28.8 to –16.1, p < 0.0001] at the last follow-up; the heterogeneity was moderate (Q = 11.67 with df = 7.00, p < 0.0001, I² = 40.01%). Furthermore, the pooled analysis under a random effects model showed an overall rate of GCs discontinuation of 0.35 (95% CI: 0.28–0.41, p < 0.0001); the heterogeneity was low (Q = 5.99 with df = 6.00, p < 0.0001, I² = 0.00%).

Discussion:

Taking together all these findings, the reduction of concomitant GCs dosage following anakinra could be suggested, leading to a further improvement of AOSD therapeutic strategy.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the present systematic review and meta-analysis suggests the reduction of concomitant GCs dosage following treatment with anakinra. A percentage of patients are no longer required to be treated with GCs, discontinuing these drugs without a flare of the disease.

Adult-Onset Still's Disease: Typical Presentation, Delayed Diagnosis

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an uncommon auto-inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, with a classical triad of fever, arthritis, and evanescent rash. Its low prevalence and lack of specific guidelines contribute to frequent delays in diagnosis and treatment. Clinical manifestations vary greatly between mainly systemic or articular symptoms and the clinical pattern between monocyclic, polycyclic, or chronic illness. Treatment options include non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), systemic corticoids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and, more recently, biological agents directed at identified immune pathological pathways like anti-interleukin-1 (IL-1) or anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). We report a case of a 40-year-old male with persistent fever, polyarthralgia, sore throat, and rash for two weeks despite antibiotic treatment for suspected bacterial pharyngitis. During hospitalization and after extensive diagnostic workup, an AOSD diagnosis was made according to Yamaguchi's criteria and successfully managed with systemic corticoids.

Anakinra in children and adults with Still's disease

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and adult-onset Still’s disease are rare autoinflammatory disorders with common features, supporting the recognition of these being one disease—Still’s disease—with different ages of onset. Anakinra was recently approved by the European Medicines Agency for Still’s disease. In this review we discuss the reasoning for considering Still’s disease as one disease and present anakinra efficacy and safety based on the available literature. The analysis of 27 studies showed that response to anakinra in Still’s disease was remarkable, with clinically inactive disease or the equivalent reported for 23–100% of patients. Glucocorticoid reduction and/or stoppage was reported universally across the studies. In studies on paediatric patients where anakinra was used early or as first-line treatment, clinically inactive disease and successful anakinra tapering/stopping occurred in >50% of patients. Overall, current data support targeted therapy with anakinra in Still’s disease since it improves clinical outcome, especially if initiated early in the disease course.

Genetic Association and Expression Correlation between Colony-Stimulating Factor 1 Gene Encoding M-CSF and Adult-Onset Still's Disease

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare and inflammatory disorder characterized by spiking fever, rash, arthritis, and multisystemic involvement. HLA has been shown to be associated with AOSD; however, it could not explain the innate immunity and autoinflammatory characteristics of AOSD. To assess the genetic susceptibility of AOSD, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on a cohort of 70 AOSD cases and 688 controls following a replication study of 36 cases and 200 controls and meta-analysis. The plasma concentrations of associated gene product were determined. The GWAS, replication, and combined sample analysis confirmed that SNP rs11102024 on 5'-upstream of CSF1 encoding macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) was associated with AOSD (P = 1.20 × 10^-8, OR (95% CI): 3.28 (2.25~4.79)). Plasma levels of M-CSF increased in AOSD patients (n = 82, median: 9.31 pg/mL), particularly in the cases with activity score ≥ 6 (n = 42, 10.94 pg/mL), compared to the healthy donors (n = 68, 5.31 pg/mL) (P < 0.0001). Patients carrying rs11102024TT genotype had higher M-CSF levels (median: 20.28 pg/mL) than those with AA genotype (6.82 pg/mL) (P < 0.0001) or AT genotype (11.61 pg/mL) (P = 0.027). Patients with systemic pattern outcome were associated with elevated M-CSF and frequently observed in TT carriers. Our data suggest that genetic variants near CSF1 are associated with AOSD and the rs11102024 T allele links to higher M-CSF levels and systemic outcome. These results provide a promising initiative for the early intervention and therapeutic target of AOSD. Further investigation is needed to have better understandings and the clinical implementation of genetic variants nearby CSF1 in AOSD.

Management of adult-onset Still's disease with interleukin-1 inhibitors: evidence- and consensus-based statements by a panel of Italian experts

BACKGROUND

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare inflammatory condition characterized by fever, rash, and arthritis. Because of its rarity, clinical trials are inherently small and often uncontrolled. Our objective was to develop recommendations for the use of interleukin (IL)-1 inhibitors in the management of patients with AOSD, based on the best evidence and expert opinion.

METHODS

A panel of 10 experts (9 rheumatologists and 1 pediatrician) was established. The first step was dedicated to a comprehensive literature review and development of statements. Two separate literature searches were performed on the MEDLINE (Pubmed), EMBASE, and BIOSIS databases through April 2018 to identify (1) differences and similarities between AOSD and pediatric Still's disease (systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis [SJIA]) and (2) the efficacy and safety of IL-1 inhibitors in AOSD treatment. In the second step, the statements were submitted in a Delphi process to a panel of 67 rheumatologists. Consensus threshold was set at 66%: positive, > 66% of voters selected scores 3 to 5; negative, > 66% of voters selected scores 1 or 2. In the third step, the voting results were analyzed, and the statements were finalized.

RESULTS

Eleven statements were developed. Forty-six of 67 rheumatologists (72%) participated in the Delphi process. A positive consensus was reached after the first round of voting and was full (> 95%) on the majority of statements. A large consensus was achieved in considering AOSD and SJIA as the same disease. The use of anti-IL-1 therapies in refractory patients was considered quite safe and effective both as the first and as a subsequent line of biologic treatment, especially in systemic patients. Because of the lack of head-to-head comparisons, a different profile of efficacy among IL-1 inhibitors could not be established. There was a large consensus that failure of the first IL-1 inhibitor does not preclude response to another one. The lack of studies comparing early versus late treatment did not allow to draw conclusions; however, data from SJIA suggest a better response in early treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The Delphi method was used to develop recommendations that we hope will help clinicians in the management of patients with AOSD refractory to conventional therapies.

Myocarditis in Adult-Onset Still's Disease: Case-Based Review

Cardiac involvement in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) usually manifests as a pericardial disease. Myocarditis is uncommon (prevalence of 7%). However, the cardiocirculatory failure is the second cause of life-threatening AOSD. Herein, we report the case of a 38-year-old man who was diagnosed with myocarditis caused by AOSD. He was treated medically with steroids and methotrexate, and his course was favorable. A literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases from 1971 to 2019 identified 47 additional cases of myocarditis and AOSD. The main features found in these reports were reviewed and are the following: (i) myocarditis is a rare complication of AOSD manifested by fever, chest pain, dyspnea, and tachycardia; (ii) cardiac biomarkers, electrocardiogram (ECG), transthroracic echocardiography (ECHO), and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful noninvasive diagnostic tools; and (iii) myocarditis is a potentially life-threatening complication of AOSD but responds positively to steroids and other immunomodulatory drugs. This review suggests that this entity should be suspected in cases of acute febrile myocarditis after ruling out other causes since a prompt treatment results in a good prognosis.

Adult-onset Still's disease with macrophage activation syndrome diagnosed and treated based on cytokine profiling: a case-based review

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a relatively rare systemic inflammatory disorder and is diagnosed using various sets of classification criteria, with the Yamaguchi criteria as the most widely used criteria. Herein, we present the case of a 21-year-old woman admitted with a high fever, lasting for over 1 month, who did not fulfill the Yamaguchi criteria. However, by analyzing the inflammatory cytokine profile, we defined this case as AOSD based on a greatly elevated serum interleukin-18 level. In addition, we predicted the occurrence of macrophage activation syndrome by a characteristic increase in the soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II level, which allowed a timely intervention for this malicious complication. Therefore, we suggest that cytokine profiling will be useful for the diagnosis and management of AOSD.

A Diagnosis of Adult-Onset Still’s Disease after Multiple Urgent Care Visits

A 34-year-old man with recent treatment and resolution of community-acquired pneumonia presents to the emergency department with protracted fever, rash, and sore throat. Sustained fever and greater than two-fold increase in leukocytosis despite appropriate antibiotic therapy prompted hospital admission for infectious disease and rheumatologic evaluations which ultimately revealed adult-onset Still’s disease, a rare autoinflammatory disorder with potentially life-threatening complications.

Prescribing motivations and patients' characteristics related to the use of biologic drugs in adult-onset Still's disease: analysis of a multicentre "real-life" cohort

A growing body of evidence suggests the usability of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in treating adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). In a multicentre "real-life" cohort, the physicians' prescribing motivations and patients' predictive characteristics of being treated with bDMARDs were assessed. Patients with AOSD, who were included in GIRRCS (Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca in Reumatologia Clinica e Sperimentale) cohort and treated with bDMARDs, were retrospectively assessed. Relevant data were collected by a review of clinical charts. Forty-four patients treated with bDMARDs were analysed, with slight male preponderance (52.3%) and a mean age of 39.3 ± 15.2 years. All patients were treated with corticosteroids (CCSs) (38.6% with low dosage) and 93.2% were treated with synthetic DMARDs (sDMARDs). Regarding the effectiveness of the first-line bDMARD, 65.6% of patients experienced a complete remission, defined as complete disappearance of both systemic and joint symptoms and normalisation of laboratory evidence of disease. The physicians' prescribing motivations for bDMARDs were inadequate response to CCSs and/or sDMARDs, CCS-sparing effect and occurrence of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Analysing patients' characteristics, chronic disease course (OR 3.09; 95%CI 1.22-7.80, p = 0.017), defined as disease with persistent symptoms, was predictive of being treated with bDMARDs, whereas age (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.93-0.99, p = 0.048) was negatively associated, suggesting younger age as a further predictive factor. Patients with AOSD were treated with bDMARDs for inadequate response to CCSs and/or sDMARDs, CCS-sparing effect and MAS occurrence. Younger age and chronic disease course were patients' predictive characteristics of being treated with bDMARDs.

Paving a Shorter Path Towards Diagnosis: A Case on Adult Onset Still's Disease from Pakistan

Adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a rare clinical entity with unknown etiology, characterized by arthritis, fever, erythematous rash, and other systemic presentations. We report a case of a 21-year-old male who presented with high spiking fever, dry cough, generalized body ache, arthralgia, and an erythematous rash. He was eventually diagnosed to have AOSD based on the Yamaguchi criteria, after a month of visiting three different healthcare facilities and receiving two misdiagnoses and treatment regimes not specific to his diagnosis. The patient immediately responded to prednisoloneand was healthy upon discharge.

Severe Adult-onset Still Disease with Constrictive Pericarditis and Pleuritis That Was Successfully Treated with Tocilizumab in Addition to Corticosteroids and Cyclosporin A

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by fever, arthritis and rash. Corticosteroids represent a promising therapeutic option for AOSD; however, some resistant cases require immunosuppressants and biologic agents. We herein report the case of a 29-year-old Japanese man with severe AOSD, accompanied by constrictive pericarditis (CP) and pleuritis. Although 2 courses of steroid pulse and subsequent high-dose of prednisolone and cyclosporine A improved the patient's CP and pleuritis, his fever and inflammatory responses persisted. Tocilizumab (TCZ) was added to his treatment, which resulted in a rapid remission. This case suggests the usefulness of TCZ in the treatment of severe AOSD with CP and pleuritis.

The Use of Cyclosporine A in Rheumatology: a 2016 Comprehensive Review

Cyclosporine A, an inhibitor of calcineurin, exerts an immunomodulator action interfering with T cell activation. Even though novel therapeutic tools have emerged, CyA still represents a suitable option in several clinical rheumatology settings. This is the case of refractory nephritis and cytopenias associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. Furthermore, CyA is a valued therapeutic tool in the management of uveitis and thrombophlebitis in course of Behçet's disease. Topical CyA has been proven to be beneficial in the dry eye of Sjogren's syndrome, whereas oral treatment with CyA can be considered for the severe complications of adult onset Still's disease. CyA provides a therapeutic option in psoriatic arthritis, being rather effective in skin disease. CyA is currently regarded as a second-line option for patients with inflammatory myopathies refractory to standard regimen. CyA is used even in paediatric rheumatology, in particular in the management of juvenile dermatomyositis and macrophage activation syndrome associated with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Importantly, CyA has been shown to suppress the replication of HCV, and it can thus be safely prescribed to those patients with chronic hepatitis C. Noteworthy, CyA can be administered throughout the gestation course. Surely, caution should be paid to CyA safety profile, in particular to its nephrotoxicity. Even though most evidence comes from small and uncontrolled studies with few randomised controlled trials, CyA should be still regarded as a valid therapeutic tool in 2016 rheumatology.

Biological therapy of traditional therapy-resistant adult-onset Still's disease: an evidence-based review

Background

Biotherapy is becoming increasingly important in the treatment of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD). The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biological therapy for AOSD resistant to traditional therapy.

Patients and methods

Database of Library of Congress, the PubMed, and Web of Science Core Collection were used to retrieve relevant articles published in English language until March 2017. Only studies published in English language were included, and the additional references quoted in these articles were also checked. Articles concerning the efficacy and safety of all the biotherapies in refractory AOSD were evaluated.

Results

There were 112 articles available in total; 422 AOSD patients were given at least one biologic. We found that 293 patients (69.43%) had received TNF-α blocking agents (infiliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab), 194 patients (45.97%) were treated with IL-1 receptor antagonists (anakinra, rilonacept, and canakinumab), 163 patients (38.63%) were given IL-6 inhibitor (tocilizumab), and 24 patients (5.69%) received rituximab and abatacept. The efficacy of biological therapy and overall tolerance of biological therapy for refractory AOSD were good. Thirty two of 271 patients given anti-TNF-α therapies (11.81%), 116 patients receiving IL-1 inhibitors (65.54%), 124 patients receiving tocilizumab (76.07%), and 13 patients given other biological therapies (36.11%) achieved remission. Side effects of biologic therapy were infections such as urinary tract infections and soft tissue abscess.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that anakinra and tocilizumab may be good choices for the treatment of refractory AOSD considering the effectiveness and safety.

Refractory Adult Onset Still's Disease

It is often a challenge and a dilemma for clinicians encountering patients with pyrexia of unknown origin. Numerous tests performed to determine the underlying cause often give inconclusive results. We present a 52-year-old man with undulating fever for more than 10 months with persistent hyperferritinaemia, and negative immunological and serological markers. Despite corticosteroids, disease modifying anti-rheumatic agents and immune-modulator therapy, he succumbed to the illness. A diagnosis of refractory Adult onset Still’s disease complicated by haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis was made.

Pulmonary involvement in adult Still's disease: Case report and brief review of literature

Background

Adult onset Still disease (AOSD) is a rare condition characterized by elevated fever along with arthritic symptoms, elevated polymorphonuclear neutrophil count, evanescent rash, and hyperferritinemia. Diagnosis can be made only after have ruled out more frequent conditions, and Yamagouchi or Fautrel criteria should be applied. Parenchimal lung involvement (PLI) is present in less than 5% of AOSD cases and ranges from aspecific reticular interstitial opacities to life threatening conditions, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Case

We report the case of a 59 years old man who was referred to our ward because of high fever treated as a pneumonia with antibiotic but not responding to medical treatment, and findings suggestive of interstitial lung disease prevalent in the lower zone on high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). AOSD was diagnosed when the diagnostic Yamaguchi criteria were fulfilled and our suspect was confirmed by the rheumatologist; the patient was then successfully treated with corticosteroids.

Conclusions

PLI in AOSD is very rare but must be considered among differential diagnosis in patients with high fever and aspecific interstial parenchimal lung involvement.

Response to Interleukin-1 Inhibitors in 140 Italian Patients with Adult-Onset Still's Disease: A Multicentre Retrospective Observational Study

Background: Interleukin (IL)-1 plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anakinra (ANA) and canakinumab (CAN) in a large group of AOSD patients. Methods: Data on clinical, serological features, and concomitant treatments were retrospectively collected at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months from AOSD patients (Yamaguchi criteria) referred by 18 Italian centers. Pouchot's score was used to evaluate disease severity. Results: One hundred forty patients were treated with ANA; 4 were subsequently switched to CAN after ANA failure. The systemic pattern of AOSD was identified in 104 (74.2%) of the ANA-treated and in 3 (75%) of the CAN-treated groups; the chronic-articular type of AOSD was identified in 48 (25.8%) of the ANA-treated and in 1 (25%) of the CAN-treated groups. Methotrexate (MTX) was the most frequent disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) used before beginning ANA or CAN [91/140 (75.8%), 2/4 (50%), respectively]. As a second-line biologic DMARD therapy in 29/140 (20.7%) of the patients, ANA was found effective in improving all clinical and serological manifestations (p < 0.0001), and Pouchot's score was found to be significantly reduced at all time points (p < 0.0001). No differences in treatment response were identified in the ANA-group when the patients were stratified according to age, sex, disease pattern or mono/combination therapy profile. ANA primary and secondary inefficacy at the 12-month time point was 15/140 (10.7%) and 11/140 (7.8%), respectively. Adverse events (AEs) [mainly represented by in situ (28/47, 59.5%) or diffuse (12/47, 25.5%) skin reactions and infections (7/47, 14.8%)] were the main causes for discontinuation. Pouchot's score and clinical and serological features were significantly ameliorated at all time points (p < 0.0001) in the CAN-group, and no AEs were registered during CAN therapy. Treatment was suspended for loss of efficacy only in one case (1/4, 25%). Conclusion: This is the largest retrospective observational study evaluating the efficacy and safety of IL-1 inhibitors in AOSD patients. A good response was noted at 3 months after therapy onset in both the ANA- and CAN-groups. Skin reaction may nevertheless represent a non-negligible AE during ANA treatment.

Inadvertent Skipping of Steroids in Septic Shock Leads to a Diagnosis of Adult Onset Still's Disease

Adult onset Still’s disease is uncommon in middle-aged and elderly individuals and can rarely present with shock; shock is usually associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome or acute respiratory distress syndrome. We report a post-menopausal woman with arthritis, fever, pneumonitis and hypotension which was managed as septic shock. Steroids were inadvertently missed during the second day of hospitalization in the intensive care unit. Persistence of hypotension on inotropes, with normal renal, hepatic and neurological function and recurrence of fever when steroids were skipped, led to suspicion of an inflammatory disorder. A diagnosis of Still’s disease may be entertained in postmenopausal women with polyarthritis, rash, and fever with leukocytosis. Sepsis is mimicked, and multiple antibiotics use is common before the diagnosis of such an entity is made. Shock is rare in adult onset Still’s disease and is not necessarily associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or multiorgan dysfunction.

Adult-onset Still's disease: evaluation of prognostic tools and validation of the systemic score by analysis of 100 cases from three centers

BACKGROUND

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is rare inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that usually affects young adults. The more common clinical manifestations are spiking fevers, arthritis, evanescent rash, elevated liver enzymes, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and serositis. The multi-visceral involvement of the disease and the different complications, such as macrophage activation syndrome, may strongly decrease the life expectancy of AOSD patients.

METHODS

This study aimed to identify the positive and negative features correlated with the outcome of patients. A retrospective analysis of AOSD patients prospectively admitted to three rheumatologic centers was performed to identify the clinical features present at the time of diagnosis and to predict the possible outcome. Furthermore, we investigated the as yet to be validated prognostic value of the systemic score previously proposed.

RESULTS

One hundred consecutive AOSD patients were enrolled. The mean systemic score showed that the majority of patients had a multi-organ involvement. Sixteen patients showed different complications, mainly the macrophage activation syndrome. A strong increase of inflammatory markers was observed. All patients received steroids at different dosages, 55 patients in association with immunosuppressive drugs and 32 in association with biologic agents. Sixteen patients died during the follow-up. Regression analysis showed that the higher values of the systemic score and the presence of AOSD-related complications, assessed at the time of diagnosis, were significantly correlated with patient mortality. A prognostic impact of the systemic score of ≥ 7.0 was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that a higher systemic score and the presence of AOSD-related complications at the time of diagnosis were significantly associated with mortality. Of note, a cut-off at 7.0 of the systemic score showed a strong prognostic impact in identifying patients at risk of AOSD-related death.

Adult Onset Still's Disease Associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

Adult Onset Still's Disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that can be associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare but potentially fatal disease of overactive histiocytes and lymphocytes. We present a unique case of AOSD complicated by Mycoplasma pneumonia infection and HLH. A 28-year-old female developed joint pains followed by a diffuse, erythematous, pruritic skin rash that quickly spread throughout the body. The patient deteriorated and developed fever, chills, cough, and dyspnea and had to be intubated. She had hypoalbuminemia, elevated liver enzymes, a very high serum ferritin level, positive anti-Mycoplasma pneumonia IgG and IgM antibodies, and normal rheumatoid factor and anti-nuclear antibodies. The chest X-ray showed diffuse bilateral infiltrates. Bone marrow biopsy revealed hemophagocytosis. The patient was treated with azithromycin, methylprednisolone, and anakinra and was discharged home on cyclosporine and prednisone. This case highlights that patients can develop features of both AOSD and HLH at the beginning of the disease and early diagnosis and treatment increase the likelihood of recovery.

Successful Tocilizumab Therapy for Macrophage Activation Syndrome Associated with Adult-Onset Still's Disease: A Case-Based Review

We report the case of a 71-year-old Japanese woman with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) in whom macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) developed despite therapy with oral high-dose prednisolone and intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy twice. She was successfully treated with tocilizumab (TCZ). Soon afterward, her fever ceased and high levels of both ferritin and C-reactive protein levels decreased. Her course was complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation, cytomegalovirus infection, and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. After these were resolved, AOSD-associated MAS was well controlled. She was discharged on hospital day 87. Although biologics such as TCZ are becoming established for the treatment of AOSD, there is no recommended therapy for AOSD-associated MAS. Several biologics have been tried for this complication, but their efficacy and safety remain controversial. We reviewed reported cases of AOSD-associated MAS successfully treated with various biologics. TCZ initiation after adequate nonselective immunosuppressive therapy, such as methylprednisolone pulse therapy or a prednisolone-based combination of immunosuppressants, can be an effective treatment for AOSD-associated MAS. On the other hand, biologics given after insufficient immunosuppressive therapy may cause MAS. A strategy combining adequate immunosuppression and a biologic could be safe if special attention is given to adverse events such as opportunistic infections or biologic-associated MAS.

Parenchymal lung involvement in adult-onset Still disease: A STROBE-compliant case series and literature review

Parenchymal lung involvement (PLI) in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) has seldom, if ever, been studied. We examine here retrospective cohort AOSD cases and present a review of the literature (1971-2014) on AOSD-related PLI cases.Patients with PLI were identified in 57 AOSD cases. For inclusion, the patients had to fulfill Yamaguchi or Fautrel classification criteria, show respiratory symptoms, and have imaging evidence of pulmonary involvement, and data allowing exclusion of infectious, cardiogenic, toxic, or iatrogenic cause of PLI should be available. This AOSD + PLI group was compared with a control group (non-PLI-complicated AOSD cases from the same cohort).AOSD + PLI was found in 3 out of the 57 patients with AOSD (5.3%) and the literature mentioned 27 patients. Among these 30 AOSD + PLI cases, 12 presented an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and the remaining 18 another PLI. In the latter, a nonspecific interstitial pneumonia computed tomography pattern prevailed in the lower lobes, pulmonary function tests showed a restrictive lung function, the alveolar differential cell count was neutrophilic in half of the cases, and the histological findings were consistent with bronchiolitis and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia. Corticosteroids were fully efficient in all but 3 patients. Ten out of 12 ARDS cases occurred during the first year of the disease course. All ARDS-complicated AOSD cases received corticosteroids with favorable outcomes in 10 (2 deceased). Most PLIs occurred during the systemic onset of AOSD.PLI may occur in 5% of AOSDs, of which ARDS is the most severe. Very often, corticosteroids are efficient in controlling this complication.

Refractory Genital HPV Infection and Adult-Onset Still Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic autoimmune disease (AIID) that can develop after exposure to infectious agents. Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been reported to induce or exacerbate AIIDs, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No guidelines are available for the management of genital warts in AOSD. Case report and literature review. We report a patient who was diagnosed AOSD in the setting of refractory and recurrent genital HPV infection, demonstrating a possible link between HPV infection and AOSD. In addition, we also discuss the management of genital warts in patients with AOSD. To the best of our knowledge, no previous cases of AOSD with genital HPV infection have been reported in literature. We then conclude that the patient AOSD may be triggered by primary HPV infection. Larger number of patient samples is needed to confirm whether HPV could trigger AOSD.

Adult-onset Still's disease: current challenges and future prospects

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) – a multi-systemic inflammatory condition characterized by high fevers, polyarthritis, an evanescent rash, and pharyngitis – has been a challenging condition to diagnose expediently and treat effectively. Questions remain regarding the underlying pathophysiology and etiology of AOSD. Pathognomonic diagnostic tests and reliable biomarkers remain undiscovered. Over the past decade, important progress has been made. Diagnostic criteria employing glycosylated ferritin have improved specificity. More important, novel biologic therapies have offered important clues to AOSD’s underlying pathophysiology. Cytokine-specific biologic therapies have been instrumental in providing more effective treatment for disease refractory to conventional treatment. While IL-1 therapy has demonstrated efficacy in refractory disease, novel therapies targeting IL-6 and IL-18 show great promise and are currently under investigation.

Adult Onset Still's Disease: A Review on Diagnostic Workup and Treatment Options

Adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology and pathogenesis that presents in 5 to 10% of patients as fever of unknown origin (FUO) accompanied by systemic manifestations. We report an interesting case of a 33-year-old African-American male who presented with one-month duration of FUO along with skin rash, sore throat, and arthralgia. After extensive workup, potential differential diagnoses were ruled out and the patient was diagnosed with AOSD based on the Yamaguchi criteria. The case history, incidence, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, differential diagnoses, diagnostic workup, treatment modalities, and prognosis of AOSD are discussed in this case report.

Adult-onset Still's disease in a Nigerian woman

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an uncommon systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown aetiology. Although there have been reports and series elsewhere, there have been very few such reports on black Africans. The rarity of the reporting of this disease has been associated with a low index of suspicion and hence delayed diagnosis in patients suffering from it. We report a case of a 28-year-old woman, a teacher, who had been repeatedly treated for malarial fever over a 2-month period. She was also briefly managed elsewhere for systemic lupus erythematosus due to a persistent fever with associated polyarthralgia, sore throat, rash and high erythrocyte sedimentation rate. On presentation to our facility, she fulfilled the Yamaguchi criteria for AOSD and had a markedly elevated serum ferritin level. She was successfully managed with etanercept and methotrexate. This is the first report of AOSD from Nigeria.