All issues > Volume 49(9); 2006

Case Report

Korean J Pediatr. 2006;49(9):991-995. Published online September 15, 2006.

A case of PFAPA (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, cervical adenitis) syndrome

Joo Hee JH Chae¹, A Rum AR Hwang¹, So Hyun SH Park¹, Byung Kyu BK Suh¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Byung Kyu BK Suh ,Email: suhbk@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

PFAPA (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, cervical adenitis) syndrome is one of the causes of periodic fever in pediatrics with unknown etiology. It is characterized by abrupt onset of fever, malaise, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis without long-term sequelae. Laboratory findings of this sporadic and nonhereditary syndrome are so non-specific that the diagnosis is based on clinical findings. Oral prednisolone is quite effective in controlling the symptoms. We report a case of a 6-year-old girl who was diagnosed as having PFAPA syndrome after 2 years of episodes, by excluding other disease entities with similar clinical features. The patient was treated with oral prednisolone and her symptoms improved dramatically.

Keywords :Periodic fever , Aphthous stomatitis , Pharyngitis , Cervical adenitis , Prednisolone