Bloody Diarrhea in a 27-year-old Man with Adult-onset Still's Disease.

Abstract

A 27-year-old man presented with quotidian fever, rash, knee arthralgia, sore throat, and bloody diarrhea. Laboratory findings showed neutrophilia, elevated CRP, ferritin, and liver enzyme levels, and decreased hemoglobin levels. Radiological investigations revealed splenomegaly, systemic lymphadenopathy, thickening of the descending colon wall, and an abnormal uptake in the bone marrow and spleen as seen in F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Malignant lymphoma was initially suspected, but biopsies showed no malignant findings. Colonoscopy revealed mucosal friability, erosions, and shallow ulcers, and pathological findings included crypt abscesses suggestive of either acute infectious colitis or inflammatory bowel disease. The patient was eventually diagnosed with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) and started on prednisolone, which resolved bloody diarrhea, leading to the diagnosis of comorbid ulcerative colitis (UC). The combination of AOSD and UC presents a diagnostic challenge due to overlapping symptoms. An accurate diagnosis requires careful exclusion of other diseases and a comprehensive assessment.