What is adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD)?

What is adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD)?

AOSD is a form of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, also known as juvenile Still’s disease, which affects adults and not children. Initially, AOSD might cause pain in just a few joints, but over time it can spread to other joints and even the entire body. The disease can become disabling in some cases.

The frequency of symptoms varies among individuals. For some, the disease goes into remission after one episode that lasts about a year and symptoms never appear again. For others, a second episode doesn’t occur until years later. In some cases, the disease develops into chronic arthritis.

Both the adult and juvenile versions of the disease were named after a British physician, Sir George F. Still. The adult form is known by other names, such as adult Still’s disease and Wissler-Fanconi syndrome.