Familial Mediterranean fever and growth: effect of disease severity and colchicine treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of disease severity and colchicine treatment on height and weight parameters in children with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).


METHODS
Thirty prepubertal children (19 M, 11 F) were studied retrospectively. Z-score values of height, growth velocity, weight and body mass index were obtained over 1.84 +/- 1.14 years before and 2.58 +/- 1.55 years during colchicine therapy. Disease severity was evaluated by a specific score for FMF.


RESULTS
By comparison to growth before treatment, during colchicine therapy height SDS increased from -1.00 +/- 1.17 to -0.54 +/- 0.96 (p < 0.001) and weight SDS increased from -0.74 +/- 1.09 to -0.47 +/- 1.06 (p = 0.008). An effect of disease severity on growth pattern could not be detected. Height SDS during therapy was negatively correlated with age at colchicine initiation.


CONCLUSIONS
Colchicine therapy has a positive effect on both height and weight parameters in children with FMF. Early initiation of treatment is beneficial for height gain.
Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel. amzung2@bezeqint.net
Amnon
A
Zung
Galia
G
Barash
Zvi
Z
Zadik
Judith
J
Barash
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003078:Colchicine