Familial Mediterranean fever in Arab children: the high prevalence and gene frequency.
Over a period of 3 years, 192 children with familial Mediterranean fever were prospectively studied. Of these, 106 (55%) were girls and 86 (45%) were boys. The prevalence was 1:2600 children with a gene frequency of 1:50. The age at onset ranged between 4 months and 16 years. Of these patients 24% started their illness below the age of 2 years and 88% were symptomatic before the age of 10 years: 82% had recurrent abdominal pain, 43% had pleurisy, 37% had arthritis, 15% had cutaneous manifestations, 12% had splenomegaly and 4% had hepatomegaly. The presenting symptoms were abdominal pain in 51%, unilateral chest pain in 23% and arthritis in 26%. The family history was positive in 62%. Of 12 affected families 19 members had/have renal failure and amyloidosis was confirmed in 7 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show a high prevalence of familial Mediterranean fever and a high gene frequency in Arab children similar to that reported in Jews and Americans.
Rawashdeh
M O
MO
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Majeed
H A
HA
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000209:etiology; D018912:Arabs; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
D006074:Gout Suppressants; D003078:Colchicine