Still’s Disease Treatment has improved with the inclusion of both surgical and non-surgical procedures and newly approved treatment options

 

Still's disease is a rare respiratory disorder that causes shortness of breath and coughing with some difficulty breathing. A person with this condition will generally cough up phlegm which he/she clears by exhaling through the mouth. Still's disease is an illness caused by the interplay of various viruses, bacteria, and fungi, as well as environmental toxins. The most common cause of this condition is tobacco smoking, although stress, viral infections, and exposure to certain chemicals also can lead to this disease. Although Still’s disease is rare, its estimated crude prevalence among people aged 16 years and above is 0.73 to 1.47 per 100,000 population for males and females.

Still’ diseases can be categorized into two stages, namely Stokes' Delivery. Stokes' disease is a severe manifestation of Stills' disease. Stokes' disease is usually fatal but in some cases, it can lead to pleural effusions and pneumonia. The treatment for Stokes' disease usually involves aggressive therapy including steroids and antibiotics. Therapy can be given to prevent the recurrence of symptoms such as cough.

Stills can be diagnosed by physical examination of the lungs, chest x-rays, CT scans, and MRI tests. Still’s disease treatment usually involves anticoagulants, which reduce the inflammation of the lining of the respiratory tract. Treatment can be surgical or non-surgical. Non-surgical Still’s disease treatment can include fluid therapy. Fluid therapy consists of low doses of intravenous fluids and medications that increase the fluid capacity of the lungs. These fluids include both arterial and venous solutions. There are no rules on how much of the fluid to take. Most patients are treated within two weeks and required to drink fluids for approximately six to eight weeks. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first treatment for adult-onset of the Still’s disease while Japan’s Chugai received the approval for its Still’s disease treatment Actemra.