About Stills Disease
Key Highlights
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Accurate Diagnosis: Expert clinical evaluation by a Rheumatologist is crucial for distinguishing AOSD from other conditions with similar symptoms.Personalized Treatment Plans: Management is tailored to disease severity, ranging from simple anti-inflammatories to advanced biologic therapies.Symptom Control: Effective treatment aims to rapidly control debilitating fevers, rash, and joint inflammation, improving quality of life.listrongPrevention of Complications:/strong Long-term management helps prevent serious complications like chronic arthritis, macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), or organ damage./lilistrongMultidisciplinary Approach:/strong Care often involves coordination with other specialists (e.g., for liver, heart, or lung involvement) for comprehensive management./li/ul
Who is this surgery for?
- Presentation of high, spiking fevers (often >39°C) once or twice daily that return to normal.
- Characteristic salmon-pink, non-itchy rash that often coincides with fever spikes.
- Severe joint pain (arthralgia) or swelling (arthritis), commonly affecting knees, wrists, and ankles.
- Sore throat, muscle pain, and significant fatigue.
- Laboratory findings of very high inflammatory markers, notably elevated ferritin and white blood cell count, with negative tests for autoantibodies like rheumatoid factor and ANA.
- Exclusion of infections (e.g., sepsis), malignancies (e.g., lymphoma), and other rheumatic diseases.
How to prepare
- Medical History Review: Prepare a detailed history of your fever patterns, rash, joint symptoms, and any previous treatments.
- Symptom Diary: Keeping a log of daily fever temperatures, rash appearance, and pain levels can be very helpful for diagnosis.
- Diagnostic Tests: Be prepared for extensive blood work to check inflammatory markers, liver function, and ferritin levels, and to rule out other conditions.
- Imaging: Your doctor may order X-rays, ultrasound, or MRI of affected joints to assess inflammation and damage.
- Consultation Readiness: The initial consultation will be thorough; be ready to discuss all symptoms in detail and provide past medical records.
Risks & possible complications
- Disease-Related Risks: Potential progression to chronic arthritis, life-threatening macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), or inflammation affecting the heart, lungs, or liver.
- Medication Side Effects: Long-term corticosteroid use can lead to weight gain, osteoporosis, diabetes, and increased infection risk. DMARDs and biologics carry risks of immunosuppression and specific organ toxicities.
- Diagnostic Uncertainty: As a diagnosis of exclusion, the process can be lengthy, and misdiagnosis is possible without a specialist.
- Flare-ups: The disease can have unpredictable flares even with treatment, requiring medication adjustments.
- Impact on Quality of Life: Chronic pain, fatigue, and the psychological burden of a rare disease can significantly affect daily living.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Acute Phase Management: Initial high-dose medications aim to quickly suppress inflammation and control symptoms; response is closely monitored.
- Medication Tapering: As symptoms improve, corticosteroids are carefully tapered to the lowest effective dose to minimize side effects.
- Long-Term Maintenance: Many patients require long-term maintenance therapy with DMARDs (like methotrexate) or biologics to prevent flares.
- Regular Monitoring: Frequent follow-ups with the Rheumatologist for blood tests and clinical assessments are essential to monitor disease activity and medication safety.
- Lifestyle & Support: Incorporating gentle exercise during remission, a balanced diet, and joining patient support groups can aid in overall well-being and coping.
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Typical hospital stay: 3-7 days (for severe initial presentation or complications like MAS)
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Expected recovery time: Months to years (chronic management required)
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering stills disease in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Top-rated hospitals in India with rheumatology departments and experienced surgeons are ideal for this procedure. Use MediFyr to compare facilities, reviews, and doctor profiles before you decide.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform stills disease. MediFyr helps you compare rheumatologists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for stills disease compare across other countries where we have data.
| Country | Estimated cost range | Typical stay | Recovery time | View details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | INR 50 Thousand – 300 Thousand | 3-7 days (for severe initial presentation or complications like MAS) | ~ Months to years (chronic management required) | Know More |
| Turkey | TRY 175 Thousand – 1.05 Million | 3-7 days (for severe initial presentation or complications like MAS) | ~ Months to years (chronic management required) | Know More |
Vikram Jones, a 28-year-old software engineer,...
Vikram Jones, a 28-year-old software engineer, had always been active, but for six months he was plagued by a daily high fever that spiked in the evenings, accompanied by a faint salmon-pink rash on his torso and debilitating joint pain in his wrists and knees. Blood tests showed extremely high inflammatory markers, but infections and cancers were ruled out. His primary care doctor, suspecting an autoimmune condition, referred him to a rheumatologist. The rheumatologist, after a thorough exam and reviewing his blood work, diagnosed him with Adult-Onset Still's Disease (AOSD). She recommended starting treatment with high-dose corticosteroids to quickly suppress the inflammation, followed by a longer-term immunosuppressant, methotrexate. The initial prednisone brought dramatic relief within days, breaking the fever cycle and easing the pain, though it caused insomnia and mood swings. Tapering onto methotrexate was a slower process, with some nausea. After three months, Vikram's inflammation was under control on a low, stable dose of medication. He could return to work and light exercise. Emotionally, he went from terrified and exhausted by the unexplained, cyclical illness to feeling immense relief and cautious optimism. He learned to manage a chronic condition, valuing his health more deeply while mourning the loss of his previous, carefree vitality.
Rheumatologists for Stills Disease
Explore experienced rheumatologists who regularly perform stills disease and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 21 Years Experience
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Manipal Hospital Salt Lake, Kolkata
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Manipal Hospital Jaipur, Jaipur
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Manipal Hospital Mukundapur, Kolkata
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Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
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Artemis Hospital Gurgaon, Gurgaon
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Manipal Hospital Dhakuria, Kolkata