Cutaneous manifestations of adult-onset Still’s disease: a case report and review of literature

Adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology and pathogenesis characterized by high spiking fever, arthralgia or arthritis, sore throat, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, serositis, and transient cutaneous manifestations. Although more common in children, cases are seen also in adults. Cutaneous involvement is common and may be suggestive for the diagnosis. A case of AOSD in a 35-year-old man is reported here, presenting with urticarial maculopapular rash of trunk, high spiking fever, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and myopericarditis. Skin biopsy showed interstitial and perivascular mature CD15⁺ neutrophils. A comprehensive review of literature showed that cutaneous involvement occurs in about 80 % of patients, with various clinical presentations. The most common skin manifestation is an evanescent salmon pink or erythematous maculopapular exanthema, predominantly on the trunk and proximal limbs, with rare involvement of face and distal limbs. Less common manifestations include persistent erythematous plaques and pustular lesions. A constant histopathologic finding is the presence of interstitial dermal neutrophils aligned between the collagen bundles. This pattern may provide an easy accessible clue for the definitive diagnosis of AOSD and exclude other diagnosis such as drug eruptions or infectious diseases.