Nationwide epidemiological survey of 169 patients with adult Still's disease in Japan

Cluster analysis defines four groups of Japanese patients with adult-onset Still's disease

OBJECTIVES

To define groups and characterize differences in the prognosis of patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study. Patients with AOSD were grouped using hierarchical unsupervised cluster analysis according to age, sex, clinical features, and laboratory data. The primary endpoints were overall survival and drug-free remission rate.

RESULTS

A total of 153 patients with AOSD were placed into four clusters. Those in Cluster 1 had a young onset, tended to be female, and had fewer complications and moderate ferritin concentrations. Those in Cluster 2 had a young onset and had more complications and higher ferritin concentrations. Those in Cluster 3 had a young onset, tended to be male, and had no lymphadenopathy and fewer complications. Those in Cluster 4 had an older onset, tended to be female, and had more complications and higher ferritin concentrations. Overall survival tended to be lower (P = .0539) in Cluster 4, and drug-free remission was higher in Clusters 1, 2, and 3 [hazard ratios (HRs) 2.19, 3.37, and 3.62 vs. Cluster 4, respectively].

CONCLUSIONS

Four groups of AOSD that have distinct clinical manifestations, ferritin concentrations, severity, and drug-free remission rate were identified, which were lowest in Cluster 4.

Still's Disease Onset in Older Adults: Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management

Still's disease (SD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease that is characterized by high fever, polyarthritis, and an evanescent rash as its main symptoms but that may also be complicated by pleuritis and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). There has been a recent increase in studies on older-onset SD, which presents with less-typical clinical features, such as sore throat, skin lesions, and splenomegaly, but more complications including pleuritis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Several reports have shown higher levels of inflammatory markers, including serum ferritin, and poorer outcomes in terms of survival and drug-free remission in older patients. In addition, caution is needed when diagnosing SD in older patients because of the increased incidence of differential diagnoses such as infectious diseases, malignancies, and inflammatory diseases. Prognosis is poor in older patients, and treatment-associated infections and severe complications such as MAS are the main cause of mortality. The use of biologics and treatment response may not differ greatly between older and younger patients. Although the data are limited, anti-IL-1 and anti-IL-6 agents may control SD in these patients with careful use and adequate infection prevention. Recent studies that classified adult-onset SD by cluster analysis or latent class analysis showed that older patients form a unique cluster of SD, indicating the need for clinicians to pay more attention to the diagnosis and management of SD in older patients.

Successful maintenance therapy with tocilizumab for severe acute liver failure associated with adult-onset still's disease

Elevated liver enzymes are commonly observed among adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD), but severe acute liver failure is extremely rare. Although severe acute liver failure associated with AOSD poses a life-threatening condition, the appropriate treatment is unclear. Some case reports have demonstrated the efficacy of high-dose prednisolone (PSL) and cyclosporin A (CyA), although the adverse effects of CyA led certain patients to cease its use. Therefore, an alternative treatment option is crucial, and thus far, there have been no reports of tocilizumab (TCZ) being used for this severe phenotype. Here, we report the first case of successful treatment using TCZ as maintenance therapy for severe ALF associated with AOSD. Following initial treatment with high-dose PSL and CyA, our case was switched to TCZ due to CyA-related side effects including alopecia and tremors. Our case highlights TCZ as a potential option for maintenance therapy of this severe condition.

Adult-onset Still's disease: analysis of a monocentric cohort of patients

OBJECTIVE

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a multigenic autoinflammatory disease with a severe systemic involvement. Because of the rarity of the disease, most published cohorts are multicentric. The aim of this report is to describe a monocentric cohort of AOSD patients, reporting clinical features and response to therapy in a long follow-up.

METHOD

Thirty-eight patients, attending the Clinical Immunology Unit and fulfilling Yamaguchi, Fautrel, or Daghor-Abbaci classification criteria for AOSD, were recruited for this study. In all patients, clinical and serological data were collected at diagnosis and every 6 months thereafter. The Pouchot score was calculated at every visit.

RESULTS

Fever, arthromyalgia, and skin rash were the most frequent manifestations, followed by lymphadenopathy, sore throat, arthritis, splenomegaly, hepatic involvement, pleuropericarditis, and weight loss. As far as the disease course is concerned, 25% presented a monocyclic and 35% a polycyclic pattern, and 40% developed chronic articular involvement. Severe complications were observed at disease onset in 21% of the patients. All of the patients were treated with steroids; 74% also received conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (methotrexate in most cases) and 71% biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (interleukin-1 inhibitors in most cases). Therapeutic switching for lack/loss of efficacy or adverse drug reactions was necessary in 66%.

CONCLUSION

The analysis of this cohort confirms that AOSD is a complex, severe, and heterogeneous disease. However, despite long-term treatment and comorbidities, therapies are effective and well tolerated. The therapeutic armamentarium now available allows long-lasting remission with low immunosuppression to be achieved in most patients.

Persistent Pruritic Linear Streaks of Adult-Onset Still's Disease: Reconsidering the Yamaguchi Criteria

Objective Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare orphan disease, the diagnosis of which remains challenging. This study aimed to identify additional clues for establishing early diagnosis beyond the existing criteria. Methods A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted at two community hospitals in Japan between March 2012 and December 2022. The clinical characteristics and medical histories of patients with AOSD were extracted from the clinical records. The primary outcome was to identify the key manifestations of AOSD for an early diagnosis beyond the existing criteria. Results Twenty-one patients (mean age, 58 years) were included in the study. Fever was the first symptom in 13 out of 21 patients (62%). Six out of 21 patients (29%) presented with a pruritic rash only, while two out of 21 (10%) initially presented with a sore throat. All patients visited more than one medical institution. The median time to reach a correct diagnosis was 41 days (IQR 19-138). Nineteen out of 20 patients (95%) exhibited a pruritic rash, identified as persistent pruritic linear streaks, with a median duration of 21 days (IQR 12-64) before the diagnosis of AOSD as a cutaneous manifestation. Conclusions Persistent pruritic linear streaks were a key feature in the context of an early diagnosis of AOSD, offering an option for reconsidering and revising the existing classification criteria.

An Unusual Case of Fever in Paralytic Ileus

Still's disease is frequently a condition of exclusion for patients with an unidentified cause of fever. Accompanying symptoms typically include fever, arthralgia, and a transient skin rash. The underlying pathophysiology indicates an autoimmune origin. Diagnosis is primarily clinical, often utilizing the Yamaguchi criteria. The case in question involves a 19-year-old male presenting with high-grade fever and paralytic ileus. The patient received intravenous glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, resulting in a rapid clinical improvement. During the follow-up, tofacitinib was initiated based on the clinical response observed.

Systematic Review and Metaanalysis of Pharmacological Interventions in Adult-Onset Still Disease and the Role of Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological treatments for adult-onset Still disease (AOSD).

METHODS

Six databases, 2 trial registries, and conference abstracts were searched from January 2012 to February 2023 for studies of pharmacological interventions in people with AOSD. Outcomes were rates of remission and response, discontinuation of concurrent treatments, complications of AOSD, and treatment-related adverse events. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for case series.

RESULTS

Forty-four studies evaluated treatments, including nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids (CS), conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs). For bDMARDs, tocilizumab (TCZ), anakinra (ANK), and canakinumab (CNK) had the most available data. Although 3 randomized controlled trials did not show statistically significant benefits of bDMARDs, metaanalyses showed high rates of complete remission and CS discontinuation. Complete remission was 80% (95% CI 59-92%, I 2 36%), 73% (95% CI 58-84%, I 2 66%), and 77% (95% CI 29-97%, I 2 82%) and CS discontinuation was 57% (95% CI 29-81%, I 2 66%), 47% (95% CI 18-78%, I 2 79%), and 34% (95% CI 6-81%, I 2 59%), respectively, for TCZ, ANK, and CNK. Studies with a higher proportion of patients previously treated with bDMARDs showed a trend toward lower rates of CS discontinuation (P = 0.05). The analyses had high clinical heterogeneity, largely because treatments were prescribed as different lines of therapy.

CONCLUSION

Evidence supports TCZ, ANK, and CNK therapy for AOSD. However, the magnitude of effect and comparative effectiveness of treatments is uncertain.

Optimal time of starting tocilizumab in acute phase of adult-onset Still's disease and comparison of its efficacy with that of methotrexate: a case series and a review of the literature

Adult-onset still's disease is a rare condition that is generally treated by glucocorticoids. Importantly, due to the limited established treatments, glucocorticoid-refractory cases are particularly difficult to treat. Between December 2009 and August 2022, nine patients with adult-onset Still's disease were treated with tocilizumab (tocilizumab group). The therapeutic efficacy and safety of tocilizumab initiation in the acute phase were evaluated in cases of initial onset and recurrence. We also compared the efficacy of tocilizumab with that of methotrexate (methotrexate group, n = 13), which has been the drug of choice for adjunctive therapy. Tocilizumab demonstrated the expected efficacy in all four patients who received it at relapse and in three of the five patients who received it at the initial onset. However, two patients developed macrophage activation syndrome following treatment. A comparison of treatment effects between the methotrexate and tocilizumab groups revealed that the ferritin and C-reactive protein levels, severity score, and glucocorticoid doses decreased over time in both groups; nonetheless, the tocilizumab group experienced a more stable effect. Tocilizumab is undoubtedly a valuable treatment option for adult-onset Still's disease, especially when administered at relapse. This suggests that it shows both high safety and good efficacy. Nevertheless, a larger sample size is required to validate the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab compared with those of the existing alternatives. Key Points • We examined the significance of TCZ in terms of therapeutic efficacy, reduction in glucocorticoid usage, and safety in patients with AOSD. • We compared the therapeutic efficacy of TCZ with that of MTX, which is often used to treat glucocorticoid-resistant AOSD. • TCZ is undoubtedly a valuable treatment option for AOSD, especially when administered at relapse, suggesting both high safety and good efficacy.

Clinicopathologic Features of Adult-onset Still's Disease Complicated by Severe Liver Injury

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder. Severe liver injury has rarely been reported, although liver enzyme elevation is a common complication of AOSD. We herein report four cases of relapsed AOSD with severe liver disorder by tapering or terminating corticosteroids. Liver specimens revealed robust infiltration of inflammatory cells throughout the lobule, especially cluster of differentiation (CD) 8-positive cells. Relapsed AOSD was refractory to corticosteroid reintroduction and required immunosuppressants. Severe liver injury with AOSD is pathologically characterized by extensive lobular infiltration of CD8-positive cells, and we should consider additive immunosuppressive agents on corticosteroids for treatment.

Clinical and laboratory features associated with macrophage activation syndrome in Still's disease: data from the international AIDA Network Still's Disease Registry

To characterize clinical and laboratory signs of patients with Still's disease experiencing macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and identify factors associated with MAS development. Patients with Still's disease classified according to internationally accepted criteria were enrolled in the AutoInflammatory Disease Alliance (AIDA) Still's Disease Registry. Clinical and laboratory features observed during the inflammatory attack complicated by MAS were included in univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated to MAS development. A total of 414 patients with Still's disease were included; 39 (9.4%) of them developed MAS during clinical history. At univariate analyses, the following variables were significantly associated with MAS: classification of arthritis based on the number of joints involved (p = 0.003), liver involvement (p = 0.04), hepatomegaly (p = 0.02), hepatic failure (p = 0.01), axillary lymphadenopathy (p = 0.04), pneumonia (p = 0.03), acute respiratory distress syndrome (p < 0.001), platelet abnormalities (p < 0.001), high serum ferritin levels (p = 0.009), abnormal liver function tests (p = 0.009), hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.002), increased LDH (p = 0.001), and LDH serum levels (p < 0.001). At multivariate analysis, hepatomegaly (OR 8.7, 95% CI 1.9-52.6, p = 0.007) and monoarthritis (OR 15.8, 95% CI 2.9-97.1, p = 0.001), were directly associated with MAS, while the decade of life at Still's disease onset (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9, p = 0.045), a normal platelet count (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.8, p = 0.034) or thrombocytosis (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.0-0.2, p = 0.008) resulted to be protective. Clinical and laboratory factors associated with MAS development have been identified in a large cohort of patients based on real-life data.

Treatment pattern and changes in oral glucocorticoid dose after tocilizumab treatment in patients with adult Still's disease: An analysis of a Japanese claims database

AIM

Intravenous tocilizumab (TCZ-IV) was approved for the treatment of adult Still's disease (ASD) in Japan in May 2019 based on its efficacy and safety in a phase III randomized controlled trial. This study determined treatment patterns in patients with ASD and assessed oral glucocorticoid (GC) dose changes after TCZ-IV administration in Japanese clinical practice.

METHODS

Patients in the Medical Data Vision database aged 16 years or older with one or more of International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes M061 (ASD) or M082 (systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis) during January 2017-March 2021 (cohort 1) and those initiating TCZ-IV during May 2019-March 2021 (cohort 2) were included.

RESULTS

In cohort 1, the proportion of patients who were prescribed interleukin-6 inhibitors (mainly TCZ-IV) increased from 10.8% (January-April 2019 [before TCZ-IV approval]; n = 2002) to 18.3% (January-March 2021 [after TCZ-IV approval]; n = 2008). In cohort 2 (n = 193), 84.5% of patients were on oral GCs (≤5 mg/day: 23.8%) at index date (initial TCZ-IV prescription date); 46/70 (65.7%) were on oral GC at 5 mg/day or higher 12 months after TCZ-IV treatment (primary outcome). After 12 months of treatment, the TCZ-IV retention rate was 73.6% and the TCZ-IV administration interval was every 4 weeks and every 2 weeks in 31.9% and 27.7% of patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The use of interleukin-6 inhibitors increased by 7.5% points in Japanese patients with ASD ~2 years after TCZ-IV approval, suggesting that an unmet medical need existed. This study suggests the potential GC-sparing effect of TCZ-IV in patients with ASD in clinical practice.

Efficacy of Baricitinib in Patients with Refractory Adult-Onset Still's Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an idiopathic systemic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology. Some patients exhibit resistance to conventional treatment during long-term therapy. Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKinibs) may contribute to the improvement in AOSD symptoms via the JAK-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway. We aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of baricitinib in patients with refractory AOSD.

METHODS

Patients were enrolled if they fulfilled the Yamaguchi AOSD classification criteria in China between 2020 and 2022. All patients were recognized as having refractory AOSD and were treated with oral baricitinib at a dosage of 4 mg once daily. A systemic score and prednisone dosage were used to evaluate the efficacy of baricitinib at months 1, 3, and 6 and at the last follow-up visit. The safety profiles were recorded and analysed at every assessment.

RESULTS

Seven female patients with refractory AOSD received baricitinib. The median age was 31 (IQR 10) years. Treatment was terminated in one patient due to progressive macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Others continued baricitinib treatment until the last assessment. The systemic score decreased significantly at 3 months (p = 0.0216), 6 months (p = 0.0007), and the last follow-up visit (p = 0.0007) compared with baseline. One month after the initiation of baricitinib, the rates of improvement in fever, rash, sore throat, and myalgia symptoms were 71.4% (5/7), 40% (2/5), 80% (4/5), and 66.7% (2/3), respectively. Five patients remained symptom-free at the last follow-up visit. In most patients, their laboratory values had returned to normal by the last follow-up visit. A significant reduction in the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.0165) and ferritin (p = 0.0047) was observed at the last visit compared with baseline. The daily prednisolone dosage significantly decreased from 35.7 ± 15.1 mg/day at baseline to 8.8 ± 4.4 mg/day by month 6 (p = 0.0256), and it was 5.8 ± 4.7 mg/day at the last assessment (p = 0.0030). Leukopenia due to MAS was noted in one patient. Except for mild abnormalities in lipid parameters, no other severe adverse events occurred during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that baricitinib therapy could provide rapid and durable clinical and laboratory improvement in patients with refractory AOSD. Treatment seemed to be well tolerated by these patients. The long-term efficacy and safety of baricitinib therapy for AOSD should be assessed further in prospective controlled clinical trials in the future.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trial registration number (TRN): ChiCTR2200061599. Date of registration: 29 June 2022 (retrospectively registered).

Proposal of a new diagnostic algorithm for adult-onset Still's disease

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to develop a new diagnostic algorithm for adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter prospective nationwide case-control study in tertiary Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases departments, to include successively patients with suspected AOSD based on the presence of two or more major criteria of Yamaguchi and/or Fautrel classifications. Patients were classified as AOSD or controls according to a predefined procedure. A receiving operating characteristic curve was used to determine the best cutoff value of the points-based score for disease classification. A diagnostic algorithm was developed to help the physician in the diagnostic approach.

RESULTS

A total of 160 patients were included, 80 patients with AOSD and 60 controls with different diagnoses. Twenty patients with incomplete data were excluded. In the multivariate analysis, 6 items remained independently associated with AOSD diagnosis: typical rash (OR: 24.01, 3 points), fever ≥ 39 °C (OR: 17.34, 3 points), pharyngitis (OR: 10.23, 2 points), arthritis (OR: 9.01, 2 points), NLR ≥ 4 (OR: 11.10, 2 points), and glycosylated ferritin ≤ 20% (OR: 1.59, 1 point). AOSD should be considered if the patient satisfies 7 points with a sensitivity of 92.5%, specificity of 93.3%, and accuracy of 92.8% (area under the curve (AUC): 0.97 [95% CI: 0.94-0.99]). The present points-based score was more accurate and sensitive than the Yamaguchi classification (78.8%, 92.5%, p = 0.01) and Fautrel classification (76.3%, 92.5%, p = 0.004). A typical rash associated with a points-based score ≥ 7 points leads to a very likely disease.

CONCLUSION

The proposed new algorithm could be a good diagnostic tool for adult-onset Still's disease in clinical practice and research. Key Points • A diagnostic algorithm was performed to help the physician in the diagnostic approach of AOSD. • The points-based score included in this algorithm had a high sensitivity and accuracy. • This diagnostic algorithm can be useful in the clinical research.

Dermatologic Manifestations of Noninflammasome-Mediated Autoinflammatory Diseases

Autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs) arise from disturbances that alter interactions of immune cells and tissues. They give rise to prominent (auto)inflammation in the absence of aberrant autoantibodies and/or autoreactive T cells. AIDs that are predominantly caused by changes in the inflammasome pathways, such as the NLRP3- or pyrin-associated inflammasome, have gained substantial attention over the last years. However, AIDs resulting primarily from other changes in the defense system of the innate immune system are less well-studied. These noninflammasome-mediated AIDs relate to, for example, disturbance in the TNF or IFN signaling pathways or aberrations in genes affecting the IL-1RA. The spectrum of clinical signs and symptoms of these conditions is vast. Thus, recognizing early cutaneous signs constitutes an important step in differential diagnoses for dermatologists and other physicians. This review provides an overview of the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and available treatment options highlighting dermatologic aspects of noninflammasome-mediated AIDs.

Systematic review on the use of biologics in adult-onset still's disease

This systematic review (SR) describes the efficacy and safety of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) for patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). Three randomised controlled trials (RCTs), one retrospective case series of multiple interventions, and 17 case series of single interventions met the inclusion criteria for this SR. Comparisons of biologic therapy in AOSD were only available against conventional DMARDs in one RCT and against placebo in two RCTs. There was a lack of common assessment criteria, meaning treatment efficacy across studies could not be compared. Uncontrolled retrospective case series suggested that bDMARDs have an effect for patients with AOSD, but these studies did not provide comparative data to show whether bDMARDs were more effective than other interventions or, whether any bDMARD was more effective than another bDMARD. However, there was evidence that bDMARDs could reduce steroid dose. Safety data from all included studies showed that bDMARDs appear to be a safe alternative to conventional DMARDs. This SR has highlighted the need for larger comparative studies in AOSD and has shown the need to standardize the definition of therapeutic response in AOSD. This would allow comparisons between studies in order to gain clarity on which bDMARDs may be more effective treatments for AOSD.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of elderly onset adult-onset Still's disease: A 10-year retrospective study

Objective

Our objective was to retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics and outcome of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) patients with elderly onset.

Methods

Retrospective data of patients diagnosed with AOSD in our institute during 2013-2021 were analyzed. The diagnoses were based on the Yamaguchi criteria for AOSD. All long-term follow-up data were collected from medical records and phone calls.

Results

In total, 281 AOSD patients were enrolled in this study, with the median follow-up interval of 47 months. Thirty-two (11.4%, ≥65 years) AOSD patients were classified into the elderly onset groups. Compared to the younger onset group, the percentage of patients with skin rash (p = 0.047), sore throat (p = 0.001), myalgia (p = 0.001), splenomegaly (p = 0.039), hepatosplenomegaly (p = 0.002) and the Pouchot's score (p = 0.002) were significantly lower in the elderly onset group. The death rate (p = 0.014) of elderly onset group is higher than younger onset group, and the independent risk factors of mortality in all AOSD patients were age at onset (HR: 1.115, p = 0.044), disseminated intravascular coagulation (HR: 391.576, p = 0.001) and pleuritis (HR: 23.162, p = 0.033). The probability of relapse was significantly increased in the patients with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) compared with the patients without MAS (p < 0.001), though the different age groups of AOSD patients with MAS showed no difference in the probability of relapse (p = 0.737).

Conclusion

Elderly onset AOSD patients were distinguished by several distinct clinical features compared to younger onset AOSD patients. The frequency of relapse and complications were similar to that of AOSD patients with elderly or younger onset. A higher mortality rate was observed in elderly onset AOSD patients, and the mortality of AOSD patients was related to age at onset, DIC and pleuritis.

Clinical features and serum cytokine profiles of elderly-onset adult-onset Still's disease

Recent studies have suggested that the clinical features of elderly-onset adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) differ from those of young and middle-aged-onset patients, whereas the details remain unclear, and cytokine profiles of elderly-onset AOSD have not been reported. To clarify the clinical features and cytokine profiles of elderly-onset AOSD, we examined patients with AOSD who developed the disease between January 2006 and September 2021. We divided the patients into the young and middle-aged-onset group (aged < 65 years) and the elderly-onset group (aged ≥ 65 years) and compared the groups in terms of patient characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings including serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-18, treatment, and prognosis. A total of 48 patients were examined (10 in the elderly-onset group). In the elderly-onset group, atypical rash was significantly more frequent, typical rash and splenomegaly were significantly less frequent, white blood cell count and neutrophil ratio were significantly higher and serum IL-6 levels were significantly lower. Serum IL-6 showed a significantly negative correlation with age at onset. Treatment and relapse were comparable between the 2 groups, whereas infections were significantly more frequent in the elderly-onset group. The clinical features and cytokine profiles of elderly-onset AOSD might differ from those of young and middle-aged-onset AOSD.

The Spectrum of Still's Disease: A Comparative Analysis of Phenotypic Forms in a Cohort of 238 Patients

Still's disease (SD) is a heterogeneous autoinflammatory disorder for which several phenotypes have been described. We conducted a retrospective study to re-evaluate the dichotomous view of the disease, to compare the juvenile and adult forms, and to look for prognostic factors. We collected data from ten French centers, seeking patients with a diagnosis of adult-onset SD (AOSD) or systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). We identified 238 patients, 152 (64%) of whom had AOSD while 86 (36%) had sJIA. The median age at SD onset was 26.6 years. In patients with identifiable patterns, the course of SD was systemic in 159 patients (74%), chronic in 55 (26%). Sore throat and myalgia were more frequent in patients with AOSD. Abnormal liver tests, serum ferritin and C-reactive protein levels were higher in AOSD group. Fever and skin rash were predictive of complete remission or recovery and high lactate dehydrogenase level was a poor prognosis factor. Symptoms such as splenomegaly, skin rash, high polymorphonuclear neutrophils count and macrophage activation syndrome were predictive of a systemic phenotype. Overall, there were no major differences between sJIA and AOSD. Our results are consistent with the "biphasic" model of an autoinflammatory disease that can progress to chronic arthritis if not treated early.

Adult-onset Still's Disease during Pregnancy Treated with Tocilizumab

A 28-year-old woman exhibited a spiking fever, arthritis, and liver disfunction when she was 22 weeks pregnant. She was diagnosed with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). As her condition was resistant to corticosteroid therapy, tocilizumab (TCZ) was selected. The TCZ treatment was effective, and she delivered a healthy child while receiving TCZ treatment. Cases in which AOSD first arises during pregnancy are rare, and there have been no reports of TCZ treatment for AOSD being initiated during pregnancy. Although the safety of TCZ treatment during pregnancy has not been established, it may be effective against severe AOSD that develops during pregnancy.

New insights on multigenic autoinflammatory diseases

Autoinflammatory diseases are disorders of the innate immune system, which can be either monogenic due to a specific genetic mutation or complex multigenic due to the involvement of multiple genes. The aim of this review is to explore and summarize the recent advances in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of genetically complex autoinflammatory diseases, such as Schnitzler's syndrome; adult-onset Still's disease; synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis syndrome/chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis/chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis; Adamantiades-Behçet's disease; Yao syndrome; and periodic fever with aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis syndrome. The PubMed database was screened for relevant articles using free text words and specific search strings. The search was limited to English-language articles, reporting the results of studies in humans, published through March 2021. Evidence from literature suggest that these rare multigenic autoinflammatory diseases can present with different clinical features and the diagnosis of these diseases can be challenging due to a combination of nonspecific manifestations that can be seen in a variety of other conditions. Diagnostic delays and disease complications may occur due to low disease awareness and the lack of pathognomonic markers. The pathogeneses of these diseases are complex and in some cases precise pathogenesis is not clearly understood. Conventional treatments are commonly used for the management of these conditions, but biologics have shown promising results. Biologics targeting proinflammatory cytokines including IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17A and IL-18 have been shown to ameliorate signs and symptoms of different multigenic autoinflammatory diseases.

Activation mechanisms of monocytes/macrophages in adult-onset Still disease

Adult onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by skin rash, spiking fever, arthritis, sore throat, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. Although the etiology of this disease has not been fully clarified, both innate and acquired immune responses could contribute to its pathogenesis. Hyperactivation of macrophages and neutrophils along with low activation of natural killer (NK) cells in innate immunity, as well as hyperactivation of Th1 and Th17 cells, whereas low activation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in acquired immunity are involved in the pathogenic process of AOSD. In innate immunity, activation of monocytes/macrophages might play central roles in the development of AOSD and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a severe life-threating complication of AOSD. Regarding the activation mechanisms of monocytes/macrophages in AOSD, in addition to type II interferon (IFN) stimulation, several pathways have recently been identified, such as the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs)-pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) axis, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)-DNA. These stimulations on monocytes/macrophages cause activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain (NLRP) 3 inflammasomes, which trigger capase-1 activation, resulting in conversion of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18 into mature forms. Thereafter, IL-1β and IL-18 produced by activated monocytes/macrophages contribute to various clinical features in AOSD. We identified placenta-specific 8 (PLAC8) as a specifically increased molecule in monocytes of active AOSD, which correlated with serum levels of CRP, ferritin, IL-1β, and IL-18. Interestingly, PLAC8 could suppress the synthesis of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18 via enhanced autophagy; thus, PLAC8 seems to be a regulatory molecule in AOSD. These findings for the activation mechanisms of monocytes/macrophages could shed light on the pathogenesis and development of a novel therapeutic strategy for AOSD.

Validation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a new simple biomarker of adult onset Still's disease: A STROBE-Compliant prospective observational study

This study was performed to investigate the role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the diagnosis of adult onset Still disease (AOSD) and its performance to improve the sensitivity of the classifications criteria (Yamaguchi and Fautrel Classifications). We conducted a multicenter prospective nationwide case-control study in Internal medicine, Rheumatology and Infectious disease departments, to include successively patients with suspected AOSD (2 or more major criteria of Yamaguchi or Fautrel classifications). All clinical and biological features were collected in a consensual and standardized clinical assessment at baseline and during follow-up. A receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to reassess the cutoff value of NLR. After determination of the cutoff value for NLR by ROC curve, 2 composite sets (Yamaguchi classification + NLR as a major criterion and Fautrel classification + NLR as a major criterion) were performed and evaluated. One hundred sixty patients were included, 80 patients with AOSD and 60 controls with different diagnoses. Twenty patients with incomplete data were excluded. The cutoff value for NLR equals 4 (area under the curve, AUC: 0.82). The NLR was ≥ 4 in 93.7% (75/80) of AOSD patients with a sensitivity of 93.8% and specificity of 61.7%. The association of NLR as a major criterion with the classification of Yamaguchi or Fautrel improved their sensitivity, respectively for Fautrel (76.3% to 92.5%, P = .004) and Yamaguchi (78.8% to 90%, P = .05). This study validates the NLR as a good simple biomarker of AOSD with a cutoff value of 4 and high sensitivity (93.8%). The addition of NLR (NLR ≥ 4) as a major criterion to the classifications (Yamaguchi and Fautrel) improved significantly their sensitivity and accuracy.

Serosal Involvement in Adult-Onset Still's Disease: A Multicenter and Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the characteristics of serosal involvement in Adult-onset Still's disease.

METHODS

Patients meeting the Yamaguchi classification criteria were classified into AOSD with and without serosal involvement according to their manifestations and sonography/radiography. Clinical data were retrospectively reviewed from 102 AOSD patients of two centers.

RESULTS

Forty-two patients (41.2%) had serosal involvement. The frequencies of pulmonary infiltrate and impaired liver function were significantly higher in patients with serosal involvement (P=0.002 and P=0.007, respectively), who also had a higher modified systemic score (P=0.009). In addition, the percentages of CD3+ T cells (P<0.0001) and, especially, the CD8+ T cells (P=0.004) were significantly increased in the peripheral blood of AOSD patients with serosal involvement. Notably, patients with serosal involvement were more likely to develop MAS (P=0.047) and develop into chronic pattern (P=0.016) during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Patients with serosal involvement demonstrated the more severe disease activity and different immune phenotypes, and these patients were more likely to develop MAS, and they may require more aggressive treatment at an early time to control their systemic inflammation.

Associated factors with poor treatment response to initial glucocorticoid therapy in patients with adult-onset Still's disease

Background

High-dose glucocorticoids (GC) are first-line treatment for adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD); however, some of the patients remain refractory to initial GC therapy, or rapidly relapse. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors for poor treatment response to initial GC therapy for AOSD.

Methods

Data on newly diagnosed AOSD patients were extracted from our database (n=71, mean age 51.6 years). The primary outcome was a poor treatment outcome at 4 weeks, which was defined as failure to achieve remission or relapse after achieving remission within 4 weeks, followed by administration of two or more rounds of GC pulse therapy or of any other immunosuppressive drugs.

Results

The initial mean dose ± standard deviation of prednisolone was 0.82 ± 0.23 mg/kg/day, and 34 (47.3%) patients received GC pulse therapy at week 0. Twenty-nine of 71 patients exhibited a poor treatment outcome at 4 weeks (40.8%). The second round of GC pulse therapy or immunosuppressive drugs was added in 17 or 24 of the 29 patients, respectively. These patients had higher baseline white blood cell (WBC) counts, serum ferritin levels, systemic feature score based on clinical symptoms (modified systemic feature score, mSFS), more hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) over the 4 weeks, and the higher severity score based on modified Pouchot score or severity index of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, than the remaining 42 patients. Multivariable logistic regression model identified baseline WBC count as a prognostic factor for poor outcome (odds ratio per 1000/μl increment: 1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.29), while thrombocytopenia, hyperferritinemia, and mSFS at baseline did not achieve statistical significance. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off for WBC count was 13,050/μl. The Kaplan-Meier method showed the cumulative rate of poor treatment outcome to be 60.0% in patients with WBC ≥13,050/μl and 23.5% in those with WBC <13,050/μl.

Conclusions

A higher WBC count but not thrombocytopenia, hyperferritinemia, and mSFS at baseline was a significant prognostic factor for poor treatment outcome at week 4 in this retrospective cohort of AOSD patients. Our findings provide important information for determining the initial treatment strategy of newly-diagnosed AOSD.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02780-3.

Clinical characteristics and treatment of elderly onset adult-onset Still's disease

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD)—a systemic inflammatory disease—often occurs at a young age. Recently, elderly onset patient proportion has been increasing; however, data are limited. To evaluate the characteristics of elderly patients with AOSD in a multicenter cohort, we retrospectively analyzed 62 patients with AOSD at five hospitals during April 2008–December 2020. Patients were divided into two groups according to age at disease onset: younger-onset (≤ 64 years) and elderly onset (≥ 65 years). Clinical symptoms, complications, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcomes were compared. Twenty-six (41.9%) patients developed AOSD at age ≥ 65 years. The elderly onset group had a lower frequency of sore throat (53.8% vs. 86.1%), higher frequency of pleuritis (46.2% vs. 16.7%), and higher complication rates of disseminated intravascular coagulation (30.8% vs. 8.3%) and macrophage activation syndrome (19.2% vs. 2.8%) than the younger onset group. Cytomegalovirus infections were frequent in elderly onset patients (38.5% vs. 13.9%) but decreased with early glucocorticoid dose reduction and increased immunosuppressant and tocilizumab use. Elderly AOSD is not uncommon; these patients have different characteristics than younger-onset patients. Devising a way to control disease activity quickly while managing infections may be an important goal in elderly AOSD.

Drug allergy and autoimmune diseases

Systemic autoimmune diseases are reportedly associated with a high frequency of drug allergies. In particular, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) have recently drawn attention. Based on previous reports, drug allergies have been reported in 17.1-63%, 7-40.1%, and 17.6-54% of patients with SS, SLE, and AOSD patients, respectively. Antimicrobial agents, including sulfa drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are the most common causative agents of drug allergies. However, few studies have examined in detail the relationship between drug eruptions, a major symptom of drug allergy, and systemic autoimmune diseases, and their actual status remains unclear. These autoimmune diseases commonly exhibit a diverse range of skin manifestations in the course of these diseases, rendering it may be difficult to determine whether it is a true drug eruption. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a fatal, severe drug eruption, has also been associated with autoimmune diseases. The development of SS-like symptoms after SJS/TEN onset and high prevalence of anti-SS-A antibodies in SJS/TEN are intriguing observations. Although the presence of SLE is known to be a risk factor for SJS/TEN, common pathological conditions, such as excessive immune status, abnormal function of regulatory T cells, and neutrophil extracellular traps in autoimmune diseases such as SS and SLE, are potentially involved in the development of drug eruptions.

Macrophage activation syndrome in patients with adult-onset Still's disease under tocilizumab treatment: A single-center observational study

OBJECTIVES

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) developed under tocilizumab treatment poses a diagnostic challenge. This study aims to demonstrate the frequency and the clinical features of MAS developed in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) receiving tocilizumab.

METHODS

The consecutive AOSD patients treated with tocilizumab in our institution from April 2008 to March 2020 were studied. The frequency of clinically diagnosed MAS during tocilizumab treatment, their conformity to the several criteria relevant for MAS, and laboratory characteristics compared to AOSD flare were investigated.

RESULTS

Of the 20 AOSD patients treated with tocilizumab, six developed clinically diagnosed MAS, four immediately after starting tocilizumab and two after long-term treatment. Some of them had already met the MAS criteria before starting tocilizumab. At MAS diagnosis, although some did not meet the MAS criteria due to lack of fever and/or the lower ferritin levels, all consistently showed sharp increases in ferritin along with marked abnormal changes in two or more different markers of organ damage, unlike the AOSD flares.

CONCLUSION

MAS is not a rare complication in AOSD patients receiving tocilizumab. The clinical similarities between systemic AOSD and MAS, and substantial alterations in MAS features by inhibition of interleukin-6 signaling may limit the utility of the existing diagnostic/classification criteria in diagnosing MAS under tocilizumab treatment. The emergence of abnormalities in MAS-related organ damage markers with a rapid elevation of ferritin should be considered as MAS development in AOSD patients receiving tocilizumab even if the patients are afebrile or have relatively low ferritin levels.

Interluekin-6 inhibitors for the treatment of adult-onset Still's disease

Adult-onset Still's disease is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by high spiking fever, arthritis, evanescent skin rash, leukocytosis, and hyperferritinemia. The pathogenesis of adult-onset Still's disease has not been fully understood yet; however, multiple proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, play important roles in the development of adult-onset Still's disease. IL-6 is a multifunctional cytokine that accelerates the differentiation of macrophages and cytotoxic T-cells and chemotaxis of neutrophils and macrophages. Serum concentrations of IL-6 well correlate with disease activity of adult-onset Still's disease, and blockade of IL-6 has been proven to be effective in active adult-onset Still's disease. This review will focus on the recent understanding of the role of proinflammatory cytokines of adult-onset Still's disease and the efficacy of IL-6 inhibitors for the treatment of adult-onset Still's disease.

Latent class analysis of 216 patients with adult-onset Still's disease

BACKGROUND

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic autoinflammatory disease which encompasses patients with heterogenous presentation and a wide range of clinical courses. In this study, we aimed to identify potential subgroups of AOSD and reveal risk factors for relapse.

METHODS

We included a total of 216 AOSD patients who received treatment in nine hospitals between 2000 and 2019. All patients fulfilled the Yamaguchi classification criteria. We retrospectively collected information about baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, treatment, relapse, and death. We performed latent class analysis and time-to-event analysis for relapse using the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

The median age at disease onset was 51.6 years. The median follow-up period was 36.8 months. At disease onset, 22.3% of the patients had macrophage activation syndrome. The median white blood cell count was 12,600/μL, and the median serum ferritin level was 7230 ng/mL. Systemic corticosteroids were administered in all but three patients (98.6%) and the median initial dosage of prednisolone was 40mg/day. Ninety-six patients (44.4%) were treated with concomitant immunosuppressants, and 22 (10.2%) were treated with biologics. Latent class analysis revealed that AOSD patients were divided into two subgroups: the typical group (Class 1: 71.8%) and the elderly-onset group (Class 2: 28.2%). During the follow-up period, 13 of 216 patients (6.0%) died (12 infections and one senility), and 76 of 216 patients (35.1%) experienced relapses. Overall and relapse-free survival rates at 5 years were 94.9% and 57.3%, respectively, and those rates were not significantly different between Class 1 and 2 (p=0.30 and p=0.19). Time-to-event analysis suggested higher neutrophil count, lower hemoglobin, and age ≥65 years at disease onset as risk factors for death and age ≥65 years at disease onset as a risk factor for relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

AOSD patients were divided into two subgroups: the typical group and the elderly-onset group. Although the survival of patients with AOSD was generally good, the patients often experienced relapses. Age ≥65 years at disease onset was the risk factor for relapse.

Clinical Characteristics of Japanese Patients with Elderly-Onset Adult-Onset Still's Disease

The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of Japanese patients with elderly-onset Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) and those with younger-onset AOSD. Patients were classified into elderly-onset (≥ 65 years, n = 20) and younger-onset (< 65 years, n = 62) groups according to age at AOSD diagnosis. Analyses included the comparison of clinical features, treatments, and Pouchot and modified Pouchot (mPouchot) scores between the two groups. The frequencies of sore throat, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly were significantly lower in the elderly-onset group than in the younger-onset group (30.5% vs. 80.6%, p = 0.0004; 15.0% vs. 54.8%, p = 0.0019; 30.0% vs. 61.3%, p = 0.0203; respectively). There were no significant differences in the frequencies of complications, such as macrophage activation syndrome and disseminated intravenous coagulation, between the patients with elderly-onset or younger-onset AOSD. Serum ferritin levels were higher in the elderly-onset group than in the younger-onset group, albeit without statistical significance (median, 9,423 vs. 4,164 ng/mL, p = 0.1727). Pouchot score was lower in the elderly-onset group than in the younger-onset group (median score, 5.5 vs. 4.0, p = 0.0008); however, there was no significant difference in the mPouchot score between the two groups. Our analyses revealed that elderly-onset AOSD was associated with certain characteristics that were distinct from those of younger-onset AOSD and that the disease severity in patients with elderly-onset AOSD, determined by Pouchot score at the time of AOSD diagnosis, was similar to or less than that in patients with younger-onset AOSD.

Catastrophic adult-onset Still's disease as a distinct life-threatening clinical subset: case-control study with dimension reduction analysis

Objectives

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder. Diagnosing AOSD can be challenging, as disease presentation and clinical course are highly heterogeneous. For unclear reasons, a few patients develop life-threatening complications. Our objective was to determine whether these cases resulted from therapeutic delay or could represent a peculiar AOSD subset.

Methods

We conducted a multicentre retrospective study of 20 AOSD patients with organ failure requiring intensive care unit admission and 41 control AOSD patients without organ failure. Clinico-biological data at hospital admission were explored using supervised analyses and unsupervised dimension reduction analysis (factor analysis of mixed data, FAMD).

Results

Disease duration before admission was shorter in patients with life-threatening AOSD (median, 10 vs 20 days, p = 0.007). Disease duration before AOSD therapy initiation also tended to be shorter (median, 24 vs 32 days, p = 0.068). Despite this shorter disease duration, FAMD, hierarchical clustering and univariate analyses showed that these patients exhibited distinctive characteristics at first presentation, including younger age; higher frequency of splenomegaly, liver, cardiac and/or lung involvement; less frequent arthralgia; and higher ferritin level. In multivariate analysis, 3 parameters predicted life-threatening complications: lack of arthralgia, younger age and shorter time between fever onset and hospitalisation.

Conclusion

This study suggests that life-threatening complications of AOSD occur very early, in a peculiar subset, which we propose to name catastrophic adult-onset Still’s disease (CAOSD). Its exact burden may be underestimated and remains to be clarified through large multicentre cohorts. Further studies are needed to identify red flags and define the optimal therapeutic strategy.

COVID-19 and Adult-onset Still's Disease as part of Hyperferritinemic Syndromes

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is known to cause hyperferritinemia and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Including this laboratory parameter, clinical symptoms similar to COVID-19 have been observed in adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD), catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS), macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), and septic shock, which has led to the proposal of a concept called ‘hyperferritinemic syndromes.’ Additionally, high levels of some clinical markers in both COVID-19 and AOSD make them difficult to differentiate. While the efficacy of ciclesonide had been expected for mild pneumonia with COVID-19, the efficacy of tocilizumab, which is a known treatment for AOSD, was not established. Here, we report the first known occurrence of COVID-19, diagnosed in March 2020, preceded by the diagnosis of AOSD, in April 2019, in a 65-year-old, otherwise healthy man. Following the diagnosis of the latter, the patient was first given prednisolone and then tocilizumab, which led to remission. With the recurrence of joint pain and rash in March 2020, accompanied by low oxygen saturation levels (90%), and ground-glass appearance on chest CT, PCR test revealed COVID-19 infection. Ciclesonide was started on day 7 of the disease onset, which led to improved inflammatory markers by day 21. Thus, we infer that while tocilizumab is theoretically useful for COVID-19 due to its inhibition of interleukin 6 (IL-6), additional ciclesonide therapy might be required to prevent worsening of the condition. AOSD and COVID-19 must, therefore, be differentiated by levels of ferritin which differ between the two, and appropriate treatment must be allocated.

Usefulness of the severity classification for predicting drug-free remission in Japanese patients with adult-onset Still's disease

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the usefulness of severity classification for predicting outcomes in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

METHODS

This was a multi-centre retrospective cohort study. AOSD patients were classified into mild, moderate, and severe groups based on severity classification (Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) during the initial treatment, and clinical features were compared among these groups. The primary endpoints were the AOSD-related mortality and drug-free remission rate. For comparison, the same analysis was performed in parallel for patient groups stratified by the modified Pouchot systemic score.

RESULTS

According to severity classification, 49 (35%), 37 (26%), and 56 patients (39%) were classified into mild, moderate, and severe groups, respectively. Patients in the severe group showed higher frequency of severe complications and the use of biological agents. Although AOSD-related survival was not significantly different (p = .0776), four of the five fatal cases were classified into the severe group. The severe group showed a reduced rate of drug-free remission (p = .0125). Patient groups classified by systemic score did not correlate with survival or drug-free remission.

CONCLUSIONS

Severity classification is useful for predicting outcomes in patients with AOSD.

Efficacy and safety of canakinumab in the treatment of adult-onset Still's disease: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare inflammatory disease, typically characterized by spiking fever, skin rash, and arthralgia or arthritis. Its conventional treatment includes NSAIDs and corticosteroids, and DMARDs as second-line therapy. Frequently, IL-1 inhibitors are also required, mainly in patients refractory to traditional therapy. Canakinumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds IL-1β with high affinity and specificity, making it appropriate for therapeutic purposes in AOSD.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to identify and compile the current data on the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in the treatment of AOSD.

METHODS

Following the guidelines established by the PRISMA statement, we searched Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library for relevant literature up to March 2021. The inclusion criteria comprised: randomized controlled trials, pooled analyses, observational studies, case series, and case reports.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies published from 2012 to 2021 were evaluated; 11 of these correspond to case series or case reports, four observational studies, one placebo-controlled phase II trial, and one analysis of pooled systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis data. In general, out of a total of 99 patients, 68.7% of these presented a complete remission of the systemic and arthritic manifestations at the end of the observation period, while 16.2% of the patients showed a partial improvement of the symptoms and the remaining (15.1%) did not show clinical improvement or were excluded. Moreover, 210 adverse events were reported in 69 patients during canakinumab treatment, of which the majority correspond to respiratory tract infections, arthralgia, disease flares, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea, whereas the most common severe adverse events included macrophage activation syndrome and serious infections. Also, a corticosteroid-sparing effect was observed in a large percentage of patients.

CONCLUSION

More studies with solid evidence are needed to support the efficacy of canakinumab in AOSD, although its use is encouraged by the increasing favorable results reported and the efficacy of other IL-1 inhibitors. It was also associated with an acceptable safety profile, similar to expected in IL-1 inhibitor therapy. However, future studies with well-defined endpoints are warranted to examine further the usefulness of canakinumab in AOSD.

The combined prevalence of classified rare rheumatic diseases is almost double that of ankylosing spondylitis

BACKGROUND

Rare diseases (RDs) affect less than 5/10,000 people in Europe and fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States. In rheumatology, RDs are heterogeneous and lack systemic classification. Clinical courses involve a variety of diverse symptoms, and patients may be misdiagnosed and not receive appropriate treatment. The objective of this study was to identify and classify some of the most important RDs in rheumatology. We also attempted to determine their combined prevalence to more precisely define this area of rheumatology and increase awareness of RDs in healthcare systems. We conducted a comprehensive literature search and analyzed each disease for the specified criteria, such as clinical symptoms, treatment regimens, prognoses, and point prevalences. If no epidemiological data were available, we estimated the prevalence as 1/1,000,000. The total point prevalence for all RDs in rheumatology was estimated as the sum of the individually determined prevalences.

RESULTS

A total of 76 syndromes and diseases were identified, including vasculitis/vasculopathy (n = 15), arthritis/arthropathy (n = 11), autoinflammatory syndromes (n = 11), myositis (n = 9), bone disorders (n = 11), connective tissue diseases (n = 8), overgrowth syndromes (n = 3), and others (n = 8). Out of the 76 diseases, 61 (80%) are classified as chronic, with a remitting-relapsing course in 27 cases (35%) upon adequate treatment. Another 34 (45%) diseases were predominantly progressive and difficult to control. Corticosteroids are a therapeutic option in 49 (64%) syndromes. Mortality is variable and could not be determined precisely. Epidemiological studies and prevalence data were available for 33 syndromes and diseases. For an additional eight diseases, only incidence data were accessible. The summed prevalence of all RDs was 28.8/10,000.

CONCLUSIONS

RDs in rheumatology are frequently chronic, progressive, and present variable symptoms. Treatment options are often restricted to corticosteroids, presumably because of the scarcity of randomized controlled trials. The estimated combined prevalence is significant and almost double that of ankylosing spondylitis (18/10,000). Thus, healthcare systems should assign RDs similar importance as any other common disease in rheumatology.

Interleukin-6 inhibition: a therapeutic strategy for the management of adult-onset Still's disease

Introduction:Patients with adult-onset Still's disease have markedly elevated serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18, suggesting the potential of these molecules as therapeutic targets. IL-6 accelerates macrophage and cytotoxic T-cell differentiation and neutrophil and macrophage chemotaxis and is one of the most important cytokines in the pathogenesis of adult-onset Still's disease.Areas covered:The review summarizes the importance of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of adult-onset Still's disease and clinical aspects of IL-6 inhibition from retrospective and prospective studies.Expert opinion:Adult-onset Still's disease is a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology and characterized by elevated various proinflammatory cytokines. In particular, serum concentrations of IL-6 is significantly high in patients with active adult-onset Still's disease, and many case reports, cohort studies and one randomized, placebo-controlled trail have shown the efficacy of IL-6 blockade in patients with adult-onset Still's disease who were refractory to glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressive treatments. IL-6 inhibition is effective for both systemic and joint manifestations with arthritis improving slowly. There is still a concern over the triggering of macrophage activation syndrome; however, the IL-6 inhibition strategy has introduced better management of adult-onset Still's disease.

A Recurrent Case of Adult-onset Still's Disease with Concurrent Acalculous Cholecystitis and Macrophage Activation Syndrome/Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Successfully Treated with Combination Immunosuppressive Therapy

We herein report the case of 21-year-old female diagnosed with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) three years earlier who presented with fever and right upper abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) based on hepatic dysfunction, elevated C-reactive protein, and gallbladder wall thickening on abdominal ultrasound. Based on the presence of pancytopenia, hyperferritinemia, and hemophagocytosis by a bone marrow examination, she was diagnosed with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS)/hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) which was refractory to glucocorticoid pulse therapy. The combination of intravenous cyclosporine A with glucocorticoids was able to successfully control the disease activity of AOSD-related AAC and MAS/HLH.

Adult-onset Still's disease in focus: Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and unmet needs in the era of targeted therapies

BACKGROUND

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by a clinical triad of high spiking fever, arthralgia (± arthritis), and evanescent skin rash. Management of AOSD poses several challenges, including difficulty in diagnosis and limited therapeutic options. In this review, we examined whether AOSD and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) represent a continuum of the same disease. We also explored the latest available evidence related to prevalence, clinical and laboratory manifestations, complications, diagnostic challenges, novel biomarkers, and treatment options in the era of biologics and identified the unmet needs of patients with AOSD.

METHODS

A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed in the Embase and MEDLINE (via PubMed) literature databases. The search was limited to human studies published in English from inception up to March 2020. Additionally, abstracts presented at various conferences were screened and hand searches were performed. Publications were processed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 123 publications were identified through the literature search, majority of which were case series and retrospective observational studies. AOSD and SJIA are widely considered part of the same disease spectrum owing to similarities in their clinical and biological features. The clinical presentation of AOSD is highly variable, accompanied by a broad spectrum of disease manifestations. Recent evidence suggests that the AOSD disease course can be classified into two distinct categories: "systemic" and "articular." Furthermore, AOSD patients may experience various life-threatening complications, such as macrophage activation syndrome - reported in as high as 23% of AOSD patients and considered to be the most severe complication characterized by a high mortality rate. The ambiguity in presentation and lack of serologic markers make the diagnosis of AOSD difficult, often leading to a delay in diagnosis. Given these limitations, the Yamaguchi and Fautrel criteria are the most widely used diagnostic tools in clinical practice. It has been observed that a clinical diagnosis of AOSD is generally reached by exclusion while investigating a patient with fever of unknown origin. Recent advances have demonstrated a major role of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-18, and IL-37, and other biomarkers in the pathogenesis and management of AOSD. Owing to the rarity of the disease, there are very limited clinical trials evaluating management strategies for AOSD. The current AOSD treatment paradigm includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids initially, conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in steroid-refractory patients, and biologics in those resistant to conventional treatment. Only a few country-specific guidelines for the management of AOSD have been published, and a treat-to-target approach, as previously recommended for SJIA, is still lacking. Canakinumab is the only FDA-approved biologic for the treatment of AOSD.

CONCLUSION

Emerging evidence supports that AOSD and SJIA represent a continuum of the same disease entity. Despite advancements in the understanding of AOSD, it continues to pose a substantial burden on patients and the healthcare systems, and substantial unmet needs exist across key domains such as the pathway to diagnosis, use of biomarkers in clinical practice, and standardized treatment strategies. Further research and collaboration is crucial for optimizing the diagnosis and management of AOSD patients.

Identification of prognostic factors and construction of a nomogram for patients with relapse/refractory adult-onset Still's disease

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to identify the risk factors for relapse/refractory adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) and to construct and validate a prognostic nomogram for predicting the individual risk of relapse/refractory disease.

METHOD

A total of 174 patients were included in our study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify relapse/refractory-associated factors, which were used to construct nomograms. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the predictive ability of the nomograms.

RESULTS

Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses showed that age, fever, disease duration, platelet count, serum ferritin level, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were independent unfavourable factors for relapse/refractory AOSD (p < 0.05). We constructed a 6-factor nomogram based on univariate and multivariate logistic analyses. ROC analysis indicated that the area under the curve of the 6-factor nomogram in the training set and test set was 0.765 and 0.714, respectively. In addition, the calibration curves showed excellent prediction accuracy, and DCA showed superior net benefit in the 6-factor nomograms. Moreover, we evaluated the predictive effectiveness of our nomogram in females and young adults. The results showed that our 6-factor nomogram has the same predictive ability in both subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Novel nomograms based on clinical characteristics were developed and may be applied to help predict the individual risk of poor prognosis of patients. Key Points • Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for relapse/refractory adult-onset Still's disease. • We then constructed a nomogram for predicting disease risk. • ROC analysis, calibration curves, and DCA all showed that the nomogram exerted good prediction ability in both the training set and test set. • The nomogram has the same predictive ability in both female and young adult subgroups.

The utility of liver transplantation to treat acute liver failure caused by adult-onset Still's disease: case reports

PURPOSE

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an inflammatory condition commonly complicated by mild liver dysfunction. However, severe liver failure is rarely reported. We report three cases of severe acute hepatic failure (ALF) associated with AOSD. We encountered three cases of acute liver failure (ALF) with encephalopathy.

RESULTS

Case 1 was a 75-year-old female, who was started on a steroid (prednisolone, PSL) to treat AOSD; this was gradually tapered. Two months later, severe ALF developed. She died despite an increase in the PSL dose and artificial liver support. Case 2 was a 26-year-old-female taking PSL 30 mg/day to treat subacute thyroiditis. PSL was tapered, and she received methyl PSL pulse therapy and artificial liver support, but this did not cure the ALF. Liver transplantation (LT) was performed 25 days later. Three years later, the same symptoms were observed and we diagnosed AOSD. Case 3 was a 56-year-old-female who met the AOSD criteria. PSL 50 mg/day was started and then tapered. Methyl PSL pulse therapy was prescribed to treat hemophagocytic syndrome, but she required LT on hospital day 13.

CONCLUSION

In AOSD cases, ALF is rarely complicated; urgent LT should be considered only for patients with AOSD-related severe ALF.

A woman with adult-onset Still's disease and acute intestinal pseudo-obstruction

Adult-onset Still's disease may cause intestinal pseudo-obstruction via a cytokine storm. Early diagnosis and treatment are the key for patient survival before the development of serious complications such as macrophage activation syndrome.

Single-arm, open-label pilot intervention study to investigate an effect of oral 5-aminolevulinic acid plus sodium ferrous citrate on glucocorticoid reduction in patients with adult-onset Still disease: Study protocol for clinical trial (SPIRIT compliant)

BACKGROUND

Glucocorticoids are an important class of medication for patients with adult-onset Still disease (AOSD), however, relapse following glucocorticoid reduction and adverse events due to long-term effects of glucocorticoid are still problematic. It is of course essential to minimize the risk of treatment. Immunosuppressive therapies such as methotrexate and biologics including tocilizumab are used in glucocorticoid-dependent patients with AOSD, but no second-line treatments for patients with glucocorticoid dependence have been established yet. Given that these drugs also have the potential to cause adverse events, alternative treatments are sought. Recently, elevated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been reported in the serum of patients with AOSD, suggesting that HO-1 activity contributes to AOSD pathogenesis and may represent a new therapeutic target for the treatment of AOSD. The amino acid 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a non-proteinogenic δ amino acid in human body. An addition of ferrous iron to 5-ALA enhances heme biosynthesis. The increase in heme in vivo induces HO-1 production, a heme-degrading enzyme. Elevated HO-1 has been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of AOSD, and administration of 5-ALA and ferrous iron may be a potential treatment for AOSD.

METHODS/DESIGN

This study is a single-arm, open-label pilot intervention study using clinical endpoints to investigate the effects of oral 5-ALA with sodium ferrous citrate on glucocorticoid reduction in patients with AOSD receiving glucocorticoid therapy.

DISCUSSION

This pilot intervention study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of 5-ALA/sodium ferrous citrate as a potential new therapeutic agent for glucocorticoid-dependent patients with AOSD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (https://jrct.niph.go.jp) on January 14, 2020 as jRCTs071190042.

Clinical features of elderly-onset Adult-onset Still's disease

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the characteristics of patients with elderly-onset Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

METHODS

Patients were classified into elderly-onset (>60 years: 47 patients) and younger-onset (≤60 years: 95 patients) groups according to their age at diagnosis of AOSD. Clinical features, treatments, and prognosis were compared between the elderly-onset and younger-onset groups.

RESULTS

In the elderly-onset group, compared with the younger-onset group, typical skin rashes were less frequent (21.3% vs 58.9%, respectively; p < .0001), whereas pleuritis (27.7% vs 7.4%, respectively; p = .0011) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (19.1% vs 2.1%, respectively; p = .0004) were more frequent, and serum ferritin levels were higher (median 12,700 ng/ml vs 2526 ng/ml, respectively; p < .0001). Overall survival and AOSD-related survival were reduced (p = .0006 and p = .0023, respectively) and drug-free remission was less frequent (p = .0035) in the elderly-onset group compared with the younger-onset group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that elderly-onset AOSD patients had several characteristics that differed from younger-onset AOSD patients, including less typical skin lesions, more AOSD-related complications, higher ferritin levels, and poorer prognoses.

Autoinflammatory Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy for Adult-Onset Still's Disease

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare multisystem autoinflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. AOSD is generally characterized by high spiking fever, arthralgia or arthritis, skin rash, leukocytosis, and hyperferritinemia. Traditionally, AOSD has been treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants. An increasing number of studies have shown that proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β, -18, -6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, play key roles in AOSD and may serve as therapeutic targets. In the current review, we provided insights into the roles of these cytokines in the pathogenesis of AOSD and also provided a commentary on the clinical studies of biologic therapy against AOSD.

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.

COVID-19: An Archetype Innate Immunity Reaction and Modes of Treatment

The magnitude of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic found health systems unprepared, not allowing for prompt evaluation, collaboration among specialities and treatment of severely ill patients admitted to intensive care units, with many of them having an unfortunate outcome. Current data demonstrate an acute immune dysregulation in severe forms of the disease. The above is concluded by clinical evolution and laboratory findings, indicating a severe inflammatory response of the innate immune system, initiating predominately with the involvement of the respiratory tract epithelial cells, occasionally progressing to thrombotic diathesis and related complications. Besides the clinical manifestations, the immune response expresses an extremely high acute phase reactants repertoire including hyperferritinemia, hyper-fibrinogenaemia, and a storm of cytokines that require an alternative view and collaboration with rheumatologists. Thrombotic diathesis in some cases may not attribute only to a possible disseminated intravascular coagulation, but also to an additional activation of adaptive immunity and the development of the antiphospholipid syndrome. Unifying speciality evaluation and treatment may improve patient outcomes by recognizing early the evolving syndromes, treating properly, in a stratifying manner, with medications that alleviate the inflammatory reaction. Corticosteroids, colchicine, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, and possibly potent immunosuppressants are in the armamentarium. Additionally, biologics that interrupt the innate immune dysfunction, such as IL-1, IL-6 and selective JAK inhibitors, are also used. Convalescent plasma therapy and human immunoglobulin may be restricted for those whom the proposed treatments are found inadequate. The above combined with antiretroviral medications may improve the outcome until the development of safe and effective vaccination.

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.