Colchicine is a safe drug in children with familial Mediterranean fever.
OBJECTIVE
To identify any adverse effects of colchicine in a pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).


METHODS
Clinical presentation, Mediterranean fever gene genotype, disease duration, colchicine dose, laboratory tests, and reported adverse effects in children with FMF were analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 153 patients with FMF, 22 (14.4%) developed diarrhea during a follow-up of 4 years; the colchicine dose was reduced to control this symptom in only 4 patients. In 18 (11.8%) patients, a mild transitory increase of transaminases (45-158 IU/L) was found during a follow-up of 1 year. Blood cell counts and kidney function tests were normal in all patients. No correlation was found between the adverse effects and patient's age, disease onset, treatment duration, or any of the clinical characteristics of the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Colchicine is a safe drug in the treatment of children with FMF, even in infancy. The only significant adverse effects are diarrhea (in a small number of patients), which can be controlled by a decrease in the colchicine dose and transitory elevation of transaminases.
Department of Pediatrics, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Heller Institute of Medical Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. shay.pade@sheba.health.gov.il
Shai
S
Padeh
Maya
M
Gerstein
Yackov
Y
Berkun
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003078:Colchicine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000071198:Pyrin; D012042:Registries; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C000604192:MEFV protein, human; D000071198:Pyrin; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D003078:Colchicine