Comparison of acute phase response during attack and attack-free period in children with Familial Mediterranean Fever
Erdal Çakmak, Aydın Ece 1 * , Selvi Kelekçi, İlyas Yolbaş, Ali Güneş, Velat Şen
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1 Dicle Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı, Diyarbakır, Turkey* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare acute phase reactant (AFR) levels at attack period and attack-free period under colchicine treatment in children with Fa­milial Mediterranean Fever (FMF).
Methods: The diagnosis of FMF was done based on clini­cal criteria and patients were prospectively followed up for average of 1.2 years. Symptom-onset age, age at di­agnosis, clinical symptoms and features of FMF attacks were recorded. MEFV gene mutations were detected by reverse hybridization (strip assay) method. Peripheral blood leukocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood fibrinogen lev­els were measured by standard methods, both at attack period and during attack-free period.
Results: Totally 105 (55 girls, 50 boys) children with FMF were included. The mean age was 8.9±3.2 years, mean symptom onset age was 5.9 years and mean age at di­agnosis was 8.1 years. MEFV gene mutations were as follows: E148Q (29.2%), M694V (24.8%), R761H (15.3%) and V726A (13.1%). The mean AFR values were over normal values in attack period and there was at least one high AFR level in 80.0% of patients. In attack-free period, although the mean values of all AFRs were within normal limits, 31.4% of patients had at least one high AFR level.
Conclusion: Based on these data, one-third of FMF chil­dren had a high AFR level, which may be a marker of sub­clinical inflammation. In children with continuous inflam­mation during attack-free period, a new anti-inflammatory drug additional to colchicine can be considered in order to prevent complications of chronic inflammation.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

J Clin Exp Invest, Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2013, 213-218

https://doi.org/10.5799/ahinjs.01.2013.02.0268

Publication date: 13 Jun 2013

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