Adult‐onset still's disease. Disease course and HLA associations

Disease course and HLA antigens were determined in 29 patients with definite and 13 patients with probable adult‐onset Still's disease (AOSD). Twenty‐six patients had persistent disease with continuous disease activity for at least 1 year. Radiographic examination revealed evidence of joint destruction in 26 patients. In 15 patients, at least 1 root joint was impaired. The frequency of DR4 was increased in the total group of patients (35%, P = 0.03) and in the 29 patients with definite AOSD (41%, P = 0.02) compared with the frequency in normal controls (20%). None of the patients was positive for DR1, and only 1 was positive for Bw35. The frequency of DRw6 was increased in the patients with involvement of at least 1 root joint (40%, P = 0.03) compared with the patients without involvement of these joints (11%).