Evaluation of familial Mediterranean fever patients concomitant with juvenile spondyloarthropathy.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) may present with various concomitant diseases. This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with FMF with Juvenile Spondyloarthropathy (jSpA). METHOD: Thirty-two patients diagnosed with FMF/jSpA, sixty-four with FMF, and fifty-four with jSpA were included in this retrospective study. Three patient groups were compared in terms of clinical and laboratory features. RESULTS: The mean ages of patients in the FMF/jSpA, FMF and jSpA groups were 15.75(11.50-19.83), 15,41(6.83-21.50), and 16(9-22) years, respectively. Chronic arthritis (OR 0.11, p = .049), erythrocyte sedimentation rate values (OR1.07, p = .011), and C-reactive protein values (OR1,08, p .039) of the patients in remission period were found higher, the international severity scores for FMF (ISSF) before and after colchicine treatment (OR 1.16, p .021, OR 2,21, p .012) were higher in the FMF/jSpA group compared to FMF. Plantar fasciitis was more common and HLA-B27 positivity rate was lower in the FMF/jSpA group (OR0.08, p = .024), (OR4.71, p = .002) compared to jSpA. FMF/jSpA patients were divided as previous diagnosed FMF and jSpA.The diagnosis of jSpA was at a younger age(p = .002), Juvenile arthritis damage index-articular(p = 0.022) and extraarticular(p = .026), and the rate of biologic drug usage(p = .015) were higher in the previous jSpA group. The number of FMF attacks before colchicine was lower in the previous jSpA group(p = .02). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that both classical FMF and jSpA findings were lower in patients with FMF/jSpA. Patients who were diagnosed with jSpA at an early age and who had enthesitis and plantar fasciitis should also be evaluated in terms of FMF.