title: Increased enthesopathy in patients with familial Mediterranean fever: evaluation with a new sonographic enthesitis index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of enthesopathy in familial Mediterranean fever by using a newly developed sonographic method, the Madrid Sonographic Enthesitis Index (MASEI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 50 consecutive patients with familial Mediterranean fever and 57 healthy sex- and age-matched control participants. Six entheseal sites (olecranon tuberosity, superior and inferior poles of the patella, tibial tuberosity, and superior and inferior poles of the calcaneus) on both lower limbs were evaluated. All sonographic findings were identified according to MASEI. Validity was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curves. P < .05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean total enthesitis scores ± SD were 7.54 ± 4.99 for patients and 3.63 ± 3.03 for controls (P < .001). No statistically significant correlation was found between the MASEI score and familial Mediterranean fever duration or colchicine treatment duration. There was no difference between the MASEI score and the presence or absence of arthritic involvement among the patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.74 (95% confidence interval, 0.649-0.839). When analyzed by sex, men with familial Mediterranean fever had significantly higher MASEI scores than women (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed significant enthesopathy in patients with familial Mediterranean fever. The findings support the hypothesis that familial Mediterranean fever and spondyloarthropathy may have common inflammatory mechanisms and suggest that the MASEI scoring system can be incorporated into clinical protocols for studying patients with familial Mediterranean fever in daily practice.
authors: Department of Radiology, Medical Faculty, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. drfozkan@yahoo.com
authors: Fuat
authors: F
authors: Ozkan
authors: Gozde Yildirim
authors: GY
authors: Cetin
authors: Mehmet Fatih
authors: MF
authors: Inci
authors: Betul
authors: B
authors: Bakan
authors: Murvet
authors: M
authors: Yuksel
authors: Hasan Cetin
authors: HC
authors: Ekerbicer
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Sayarlioglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010329:Patella / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012372:ROC Curve; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult