title: The relationship between the MEFV genotype, clinical features, and cytokine-inflammatory activities in patients with familial mediterranean fever.
abstract: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by periodic attacks of fever and polyserositis. The effects of the MEFV genotype differences on clinical picture and inflammatory activity have not been well documented. The aim of this study was to investigate levels of conventional inflammation markers, procalcitonin, interleukin levels, TNF-alpha, and C5a levels in patients with FMF who had different MEFV genotypes and compare them with those of healthy subjects. The study consisted of 41 patients with FMF (F/M: 23/18), and 31 healthy subjects (F/M: 18/13). Tests were performed during the attack-free period. White-blood cell count, CRP and IL-8 levels were higher in patients with FMF than in healthy subjects (p < 0.05) and also higher in M680I carriers than in the patients with M694V allele carriers. However, ESR, fibrinogen, procalcitonin, IL-6, C5a, TNF-alpha, and IgD levels were not significantly different between patients and healthy subjects (p > 0.05). Arthralgia or arthritis was significantly higher in M694V carriers than in non-M694V carriers (p < 0.05). It is concluded that the clinical features and inflammatory-cytokine activities were higher in patients with FMF during the attack-free period than in healthy subjects, and the different genotype might be related to different clinical pictures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gurlek
authors.forename: Zeynep Arzu
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Yegin
authors.forename: Serpil Muge
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Deger
authors.forename: Sehri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elbek
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pasaoglu
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Selahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Galip
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D000071198:Pyrin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; C000604192:MEFV protein, human; D000071198:Pyrin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein