Adult Still's disease as a manifestation of severe hypophosphatemia
Still's disease--a disturbance of energy metabolism?. In this case report, a 56-year-old woman with a reversible multiple organ disease with septic fever, arthritis, rash, weight loss, thrombocytopenia, severe disturbance of liver function, renal tubular dysfunction, general muscular weakness, pleural and pericardial effusions and elevated CRP, leukocytosis and a striking hyperferritinemia is presented. An autoimmune disease and a septic process were excluded. Because of the significantly decreased plasma phosphorus concentration (0.2 mmol/l), caused by malabsorption after Whipple's operation with lowered vitamin D and secondary hyperparathyroidism and by chronic alcoholism, severe phosphate deficiency was diagnosed. By substitution of phosphorus, all symptoms disappeared and laboratory findings normalized. Except for the patient's age, all criteria for the diagnosis of Still's disease were fulfilled. So we reflected upon Still's disease to be rather a disturbance of energy metabolism with secondary immunologic changes than an inflammatory rheumatic disease. Significant weight loss in Still's disease and osteopenia might be signs of decreased energy supply. Besides hypophosphatemia, deficiency of magnesium, which is involved in all ATP-dependent processes, and mitochondrial diseases cause disturbances of energy metabolism.