Retinal and choroidal thickness in children with familial Mediterranean fever

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Genetics
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic autoinflammatory disease.
• Ocular manifestations in FMF are not well-established, particularly in pediatric populations.
• Understanding potential ocular structural changes is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare retinal and choroidal thicknesses in children diagnosed with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) against a healthy control group.
• To determine if FMF impacts ocular microvasculature or structural integrity in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 30 children with FMF and 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled.
• Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was employed to measure retinal and choroidal thicknesses.
• Measurements were taken at the fovea and in nasal and temporal quadrants at specified intervals from the foveal center.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed in foveal retinal thickness between FMF patients and controls (p=0.32).
• Choroidal thickness at the fovea also showed no significant difference between the groups (p=0.39).
• Retinal and choroidal thicknesses at various eccentricities (500-1500 µm from the fovea) were similar in both FMF and control groups (all p>0.05).

Conclusions:

• Pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever do not exhibit significant differences in retinal or choroidal thickness compared to their healthy peers.
• These findings suggest that FMF, at the structural level assessed, may not directly impact retinal and choroidal dimensions in children.
• Further research could explore functional or microvascular changes in FMF patients.