title: Heart-type fatty acid binding protein level in familial Mediterranean fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder and the most frequent periodic syndrome characterized by recurrent attacks of polyserositis. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP) is an intracellular molecule engaged in the transport of fatty acids through the myocardial cytoplasm and a rapid marker of myocardial injury. FMF is an autoinflammatory disease characterized by ongoing inflammatory activity. Inflammation also plays an important role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis in some rheumatic diseases. We aimed to investigate markers of atherosclerosis in patients with FMF by the measurement of serum h-FABP and malondialdehyde levels (MDA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty consecutive patients with FMF and twenty healthy volunteers were selected to participate in the study. The diagnosis of FMF was based on Tel-Hashomer criteria. Serum h-FABP and MDA levels were determined to examine the association.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean h-FABP level in FMF patients was significantly higher than the normal population (4.89±0.83 vs. 3.06±2.13 ng/ml, p<0.01). The mean platelet volume was significantly higher in FMF patients than in the normal group (8.87±0.99 vs. 8.22±0.45 fl, p=0.04). Serum MDA levels were the same between the groups (1.08±0.66 vs. 1.08 ± 0.33 nmol/ml, p=0.99). h-FABP and MDA levels were the same in FMF patients with an acute attack and during an attack free period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that h-FABP increases in patients with FMF. Higher h-FABP levels may lead to increased atherosclerotic propensity in FMF, independent of the oxidative stress status of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Balıkesir State Hospital, Balıkesir, Turkey. ozlemkarakurt55@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Karakurt Arıtürk
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Üreten
authors.forename: Münevver
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarı
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yazıhan
authors.forename: Evin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.forename: Imge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ergüder
mesh_terms: D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume
chemical_list: D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D008315:Malondialdehyde