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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffMost people with adult Still's disease experience a combination of the following signs and symptoms:
- Fever. You may experience a daily fever of at least 102 F (38.9 C) for a week or longer. The fever usually peaks in the late afternoon or early evening. Sometimes, you may experience two fever spikes daily. Between episodes, your temperature will likely return to normal.
- Rash. A salmon-pink bumpy or flat rash may come and go with the fever. The rash usually appears on your trunk, arms or legs. Physical contact such as rubbing your skin may provoke the rash to appear.
- Achy and swollen joints. You may find that your joints — especially your knees, wrists, ankles, elbows, hands and shoulders — are stiff, painful and inflamed. Usually, the joint discomfort lasts at least two weeks.
- Muscle pain. Muscular pain associated with adult Still's disease usually ebbs and flows with the fever, but the pain may be severe enough to disrupt your daily activities.
Other signs and symptoms may include:
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes in your neck
- Enlarged liver or spleen
- Inflammation of the lining of the heart or lungs
Having any of these signs or symptoms doesn't necessarily mean that you have adult Still's disease. The signs and symptoms of this disorder may mimic those of other conditions, including infectious mononucleosis, a type of cancer called lymphoma or other rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
When to see a doctor
If you have a high fever, rash and achy joints, see your doctor to determine what may be the cause. Also, if you have adult Still's disease and develop a cough, difficulty breathing, chest pain or any other unusual symptoms, call your doctor.
- Mandl LA, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of adult Still's disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Mandl LA, et al. Treatment of adult Still's disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Mackowiak PA, et al. Fever of unknown origin. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Bennett, & Dolin: Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00051-5--s0150&uniq=212324663&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=1032482890. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Adams BD, et al. Arthritis. In: Marx JA, et al., eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00114-6--s0525&uniq=212324663&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=1032485935. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Kavanaugh A, et al. The locomotor system. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2010. 61st ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6642-2..00015-6--s0120&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6642-2..00015-6--s0130&uniq=212413180&isbn=978-1-4160-6642-2&sid=1032716124. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Altman RD. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec04/ch034/ch034c.html. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Chang-Miller A (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 16, 2010.
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