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Spondyloarthritis in familial Mediterranean fever: a cohort study

  • Cohort Studies
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Abstract

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) may show several common signs. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of SpA and its manifestations in FMF, the impact of SpA on FMF, and the associations of non-episodic findings (heel enthesitis, protracted arthritis, and sacroiliitis) with the FMF features. Demographic, clinical, imaging, and genetic data were retrieved from medical records of the patients with adult FMF. To identify patients who met the classification criteria for SpA, data including rheumatologic inquiry were recorded. Patients with SpA and those who did not meet the criteria were compared in terms of FMF features. Regression analyses were performed to determine the factors that were most associated with sacroiliitis, enthesitis, and protracted arthritis. Of the 283 patients with FMF, 74 (26.1%) met the SpA criteria (64 axial, 10 peripheral); and 65 (22.9%) patients had sacroiliitis, 27 (9.5%) protracted arthritis, and 61 (21.6%) heel enthesitis. Patients with SpA were older and had more FMF severity, and heel pain rate than those without; however, genetic features, CRP, resistance to colchicine, and heel enthesitis did not differ. A meaningful number of patients without SpA had also displayed heel enthesitis, protracted arthritis, inflammatory back pain, heel pain, family history of SpA, and elevated CRP. Age was found to be the main predictor of heel enthesitis and protracted arthritis was linked with FMF severity. A significant number of patients with FMF meet the peripheral SpA classification criteria as well as axial SpA. SpA and its shared manifestations with FMF may have an impact on FMF.

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Data availability

The data sets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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The code used to analyze the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sevtap Acer Kasman, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, Rheumatology Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey

    Sevtap Acer Kasman

  2. Mehmet Tuncay Duruöz, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Rheumatology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mehmet Tuncay Duruöz

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Contributions

All authors worked on the study design, conception, data collection, statistical analysis, interpretation of the data, and manuscript writing. All authors were involved in drafting the article and revising it critically for important intellectual content. The study and the final manuscript are in line with the IJME 4 criteria. All authors approve the article's final version and take full responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Sevtap Acer Kasman.

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This retrospective study involving human participants was in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The xxx University Ethics Committee approved this study. The approval date and number were 04.12.2020 and 09.2020.1255, respectively.

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Compliance with ethical standards

This retrospective study involving human participants was in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The Marmara University Ethics Committee approved this study. The approval date and number were 04.12.2020 and 09.2020.1255, respectively. The manuscript has not been copied or published elsewhere in whole or in part.

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Acer Kasman, S., Duruöz, M.T. Spondyloarthritis in familial Mediterranean fever: a cohort study. Rheumatol Int 42, 1729–1739 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-022-05158-5

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