A controlled study of the long-term prognosis of adult Still's
disease.

Sampalis JS  Esdaile JM  Medsger TA Jr  
 Partridge AJ  Yeadon C  Senecal JL  
 Myhal D  Harth M  Gutkowski A  
 Carette S  et al  

In: Am J Med (1995 Apr) 98(4):384-8

ISSN: 0002-9343

PURPOSE: To assess the long-term prognosis of patients with adult
 Still's disease for physical and psychological disability, pain,
 social functioning, social support, medication use, formal education,
 occupation, time lost from work, and family income, and to contrast
 these results with those of same-sex sibling controls.

PATIENTS AND
 METHODS: Patients were recruited from medical center-based cohorts in
 Pittsburgh and Eastern Canada and from a national survey of
 rheumatologists. Patients and same-sex sibling controls completed the
 Health Assessment Questionnaire for physical disability, the
 psychological and social function domains of the Arthritis Impact
 Measurement Scales, and the Interpersonal Skills Evaluation List
 questionnaire for social support, and replied to questions on
 medication use, formal education, occupation, time lost from work,
 and family income.

RESULTS: One hundred four of 111 eligible adult
 Still's patients (94%) provided data. They identified 86 same-sex
 sibling controls, of whom 60 (70%) participated. The mean duration of
 adult Still's disease was 10 years. Approximately half of patients
 continued to require medication even 10 years after diagnosis.
 Patients had significantly higher levels of pain, physical
 disability, and psychological disability when compared with the
 controls. However, the levels of pain and physical disability were
 low compared to patients with other rheumatic diseases. Educational
 achievement, occupational prestige, social functioning and support,
 time lost from work, and family income were similar for both patients
 and controls.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite causing disability, pain, and, in
 many, the need for long-term medication, patients with adult Still's
 disease are resilient. The disease did not interfere with educational
 attainment, occupational prestige, social functioning and support,
 time lost from work, or family income.

Webmaster's Comment **  I do not completely agree with the conclusions of this study.  I know of many people where Still's Disease DID interfere with educational attainment, occupational prestige, social functioning and support, time lost from work, and family income.

******  These are the honest facts ******

 


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