Choroidal Thickness Changes in the Acute Attack Period in Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Rheumatology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic autoinflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of fever and serositis.
• Ocular manifestations in FMF are not well-defined, though inflammation is a key feature of the disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential changes in choroidal thickness during acute attacks of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).
• To explore the relationship between choroidal thickness, inflammatory markers, and clinical findings in FMF patients.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 50 FMF patients during acute attacks and 50 healthy controls.
• Choroidal thickness was measured using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) at multiple points around the foveola.
• Blood inflammatory markers including white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed.

Main Results:

• FMF patients exhibited significantly increased choroidal thickness compared to controls during acute attacks (p < 0.05).
• Choroidal thickness positively correlated with ESR, fibrinogen, and particularly CRP levels.
• No significant association was found between clinical FMF manifestations (peritonitis, arthritis, pleuritis) and choroidal thickness.

Conclusions:

• Elevated choroidal thickness during acute FMF attacks may be attributed to inflammatory and edematous changes within the choroid.
• These findings suggest that the choroid could be affected during the systemic inflammation associated with FMF.