La malattia di Still dell’adulto.

Adult onset Still's disease is a worldwide, uncommon inflammatory systemic disorder characterized by high spiking fever, vanishing skin rash, olygo-polyartrhitis, neutrophilic leukocytosis, negative antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor, which affects young adults. Serositis, lymphoadenopathies, hepato-splenomegaly, sore throat, myocarditis, may also occur. The disease was first described by Bywaters in 1971. There are no pathognomonic features, but the detection of very high levels of serum ferritin, correlated with disease activity, induced - in the last decade - a growing attention in the scientific community suggesting a possible role of this abnormality as a useful, although not specific, diagnostic marker. However, the diagnosis lies on the exclusion of many other disorders causing fever of unknown origin such as infections, neoplasms and other rheumatic conditions. Some set of classificative criteria are available and may contribute to the identification of the disease. T...