[PFAPA syndrome - An important differential diagnosis in children with recurrent fever]

Lakartidningen. 2019 Oct 29:116:FP9U.
[Article in Swedish]

Abstract

Periodic Fever, Aphthous Stomatitis, Pharyngitis and Cervical Adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome is the most common autoinflammatory disorder among children in many parts of the world and an important differential diagnosis in children presenting with recurrent fever episodes. Commonly, PFAPA has an onset under the age of 5 years. Fever episodes in PFAPA usually last 3-6 days and are associated with one or more of the cardinal symptoms aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis. The fever episodes typically recur with an interval of 3-6 weeks, often with a striking regularity. During the episodes, the patient has elevated inflammatory variables such as CRP and serum amyloid A (SAA) and may sometimes have additional symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea and leg pain. Between the fever episodes, the patient is typically free of symptoms with normalized inflammatory variables and grows normally. Awareness and recognition of PFAPA is key to providing the patient with adequate treatment and avoiding misdiagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Fever / diagnosis
  • Fever / drug therapy
  • Fever / etiology
  • Hereditary Autoinflammatory Diseases / classification
  • Hereditary Autoinflammatory Diseases / complications
  • Hereditary Autoinflammatory Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Hereditary Autoinflammatory Diseases / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / blood
  • Lymphadenitis / diagnosis
  • Lymphadenitis / drug therapy
  • Lymphadenitis / etiology
  • Male
  • Pharyngitis / diagnosis
  • Pharyngitis / drug therapy
  • Pharyngitis / etiology
  • Stomatitis, Aphthous / diagnosis
  • Stomatitis, Aphthous / drug therapy
  • Stomatitis, Aphthous / etiology
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • Biomarkers