A case of adult onset Still’s disease with systemic inflammatory response syndrome complicated by fatal status epilepticus

Abstract

Prolonged spiking fever, an evanescent salmon-colored rash, arthralgia or arthritis, leukocytosis and organ dysfunction are characteristic of adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). A 25-year-old woman with fever lasting over 3 weeks presented to our clinic. The patient had a spiking fever, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, a fine pink-colored skin rash, arthralgia, myalgia with a high ESR, ferritin and elevated hepatic enzymes. NSAID and prednisolone were prescribed for AOSD with SIRS. After 4 days of therapy, with mild confusion, the patient went into status epilepticus lasting several hours and died after cardiovascular collapse. There has been only one case of status epilepticus associated with AOSD in the medical literature. Here we report a case of AOSD with SIRS complicated by fatal status epilepticus.