[A case of adult Still's disease with pulmonary hypertension]

The patient was a 29-year-old woman. She was well until autumn 1983, when she presented with polyarthralgia, fever above 39 degrees C, hepatosplenomegaly, swelling of lymphnode and salmon pink rash. Laboratory tests revealed marked leucocytosis with shift to the left, elevated ESR, strong positivity of CRP and abnormal liver function tests. However, anti-nuclear antibody and RA factor were negative. She was diagnosed as adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) by characteristic clinical course and laboratory data. During her disease course these abnormal findings could be well controlled neither by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressive agents nor corticosteroids. Two and half years after the first admission, she began to complain of dry cough, dyspnea on efforts. Auscultation revealed an increased pulmonic sound and systolic murmur of cardiac apex. Chest X-Rays showed enlarged main pulmonary arteries. The lung fields were normal. Pulmonary function tests gave no evidence of a significant obstructive or restrictive defect but showed the low DLco and hypoxemia. Ventilation-perfusion lung scanning failed to reveal pulmonary embolism. Finally, right heart catheterization confirmed the pulmonary precapillary hypertension. Her pulmonary hypertension has progressed rapidly, strongly suggesting poor prognosis. Her pulmonary hypertension associated with no apparent parenchymal involvement was thought to be caused by a pulmonary vascular change probably related to AOSD. This case is a first case of AOSD with pulmonary hypertension.