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The evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness in children with familial Mediterranean fever

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Abstract

The aim is to investigate whether pediatric familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients have an increased risk of premature atherosclerosis and to determine the possible strength of association between atherosclerosis and Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene mutation gene type. Demographic characteristics and MEFV mutations were defined in 49 children diagnosed with FMF (26 female, 23 male; mean age, 10.71 ± 3.69 years). Twenty-six age-, sex-, and body-mass-index-matched healthy children constituted the control group. We evaluated the blood counts and acute-phase proteins during attack-free periods. Mean C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid-A (SAA), homocysteine (Hcy), lipoprotein-a (Lp-a), and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) were 10.75 ± 15.29 vs 4.03 ± 1.20, 23.22 ± 41.94 vs 3.53 ± 1.04, 10.36 ± 3.36 vs 8.64 ± 3.15, 20.84 ± 23.89 vs 8.56 ± 7.48, and 0.038 ± 0.007 vs 0.032 ± 0.004, respectively, and significantly higher than the mean values of control group (p < 0.05). However, no correlation was found between CCA-IMT and CRP, SAA, Hcy, and Lp-a. Twenty-nine patients had M694V mutation, and 13 patients had other mutations. There was no correlation between CCA-IMT and MEFV mutation subgroups. In conclusion, because of the nature of the disease, FMF patients should be considered to have an increased risk of early vascular alteration and atherosclerosis. For this reason, CCA-IMT measurement can be recommended as a noninvasive and early diagnostic method.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, 42080, Konya, Turkey

    Harun Peru & Ahmet Midhat Elmaci

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Bülent Altun

  3. Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Mustafa Doğan & Bülent Oran

  4. Public Health Specialist, Meram Medical Faculty Hospital, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Fatih Kara

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  1. Harun Peru
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  2. Bülent Altun
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  3. Mustafa Doğan
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  5. Ahmet Midhat Elmaci
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Correspondence to Harun Peru.

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Peru, H., Altun, B., Doğan, M. et al. The evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness in children with familial Mediterranean fever. Clin Rheumatol 27, 689–694 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0764-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0764-1

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