title: Serum Amyloid A Level in Egyptian Children with Familial Mediterranean Fever.
abstract: Background and Objectives. SAA is an acute-phase reactant detected during an FMF attack or other inflammatory conditions. High SAA levels may increase the risk of amyloidosis. The aim of the study is to measure the serum amyloid A (SAA) level in a group of Egyptian children with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and study its various correlates, if any.Methods. The study enrolled seventy-one children with FMF.Results. SAA level was high in 78.9% of the studied patients with a mean of 81.62 ± 31.6 mg/L, and CRP was positive in 31% of patients. There was no significant releation between SAA level and any demographic or clinical manifestation. High SAA was more frequent in V726A allele (16.9%) followed by M694V allele (12.3%). Elevated SAA levels were more frequent in patients on low colchicine doses. Forty-five percent (45%) of patients have low adherence to colchicine therapy.Interpretation and Conclusion. High SAA levels were detected two weeks after last FMF attack in a large percentage of Egyptian FMF children. This indicates that subclinical inflammation continues during attack-free periods, and SAA could be used as a marker of it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hala M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lofty
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Huda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marzouk
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Yomna
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4961-6845
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Farag
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nabih
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Iman A S
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0539-6185
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Khalifa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Noha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2727-8240
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: El Garf