An autoinflammatory disease – PFAPA syndrome: a single-center experience

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and laboratory data of 101 patients (61 boys, 40 girls) diagnosed with PFAPA syndrome. The age of onset of PFAPA syndrome ranged from 8 to 36 months (the median age of onset was 18 months). The study was approved by the Independent Ethics Committee and the Scientific Council of the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology of Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. In most cases, clinical manifestations included recurrent fevers, acute tonsillitis (in 84% of cases, the tonsils were covered with a whitish coating), and cervical lymphadenitis. More rarely, the patients had diarrhea, vomiting, myalgia, arthralgia, and rash. All of the patients met the criteria proposed by G.S. Marshall. Our management strategies for patients with PFAPA syndrome include symptomatic treatment with antipyretics, short-term glucocorticosteroid therapy, and tonsillectomy. The majority of patients have complete resolution of PFAPA symptoms by the age of 7 regardless of the type of therapy.