Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases •
PFAPA (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis) syndrome is diagnosed clinically. Adult-onset PFAPA syndrome is rare and often has a more diverse clinical presentation that its childhood counterpart. This is the first reported case of adult-onset PFAPA syndrome with complete response to lingual tonsillectomy. A 41-year-old man was evaluated for periodic fevers associated with uvulitis, cervical lymphadenitis, pharyngitis, and lower extremity rash. He had a variable response to steroids and was intolerant of colchicine. Laboratory workup revealed intermittent elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level. Computed tomography neck and laryngoscopy confirmed adenoidal and lingual tonsillar hypertrophy. He underwent adenoidectomy and lingual tonsillectomy with resolution of symptoms. Hypertrophy of the remaining lymphoid structures within Waldeyer's ring may be associated with remote recurrence of PFAPA syndrome after tonsillectomy. Lingual tonsillectomy may be an alternative treatment strategy in select patients with PFAPA, prominent lingual hypertrophy, and incomplete response to steroids.
Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome, the most common periodic disorder of childhood, presents with the cardinal symptoms of periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis typically before age 5. This review presents the recent literature on PFAPA and summarizes key findings in the pathogenesis, evaluation, and treatment of the disease. Theories surrounding the pathogenesis of PFAPA include a faulty innate immunologic response in conjunction with dysregulated T-cell activation. A potential genetic link is also under consideration. Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene variants have been implicated and appear to modify disease severity. In individuals with the heterozygous variant, PFAPA episodes are milder and shorter in duration. Diagnostic criteria include the traditional clinical signs, in addition to the following biomarkers: elevated C-reactive protein in the absence of elevated procalcitonin, vitamin D, CD64, mean corpuscular volume, and other nonspecific inflammatory mediators in the absence of an infectious explanation for fever. Treatment of PFAPA includes tonsillectomy, a single dose of corticosteroids, and, most recently, interleukin 1 blockers such as anakinra, rilonacept, and canakinumab. Tonsillectomy remains the only permanent treatment modality.