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Shear wave elastography evaluation of kidneys in children with familial mediterranean fever
1Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey.
Background And Aim:
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder. Typical clinical manifestations are self-limiting attacks of recurrent fever, abdominal pain, arthralgia, and chest pain due to aseptic polyserositis. Renal involvement is common in FMF patients. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a noninvasive method that provides the measurement of tissue stiffness. In this study, we aimed to show that SWE can be used as an adjunctive method for evaluating renal involvement in children with FMF.
Materials And Methods:
Our study group consists of 79 pediatric FMF patients and 79 control individuals. The study was planned prospectively. The variables, such as age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of the patient and control groups, were kept in a similar way in order not to be affected by the differences. The right and left kidney sizes, parenchymal thicknesses, and SWE values in both groups were compared. The parenchymal stiffness degrees of the kidneys were quantified by shear modulus values in kilopascals.
Results:
In our study, no statistically significant difference was found between the control and patient groups in terms of the right and left kidney longitudinal dimensions, transverse dimensions, and parenchymal thicknesses. When the kidneys were evaluated in terms of the right and left kidney stiffness values, the stiffness values in the patient group were significantly higher in both kidneys compared with those in the control group (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
SWE can be a noninvasive quantitative imaging method that can be used to evaluate kidney involvement by detecting changes in kidney stiffness in children with FMF.
Insights
Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) patients showed increased kidney stiffness compared to controls. Shear wave elastography (SWE) can noninvasively assess renal involvement in children with FMF.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Rheumatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent fever and polyserositis.
- Renal involvement is a common complication in FMF patients.
- Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a noninvasive technique for measuring tissue stiffness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of SWE as an adjunctive method for assessing renal involvement in pediatric FMF patients.
- To compare kidney stiffness between children with FMF and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 79 pediatric FMF patients and 79 controls.
- Comparison of kidney dimensions, parenchymal thickness, and SWE values.
- Kidney stiffness quantified using shear modulus in kilopascals.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in kidney size or parenchymal thickness between groups.
- Significantly higher kidney stiffness values (P < 0.001) in both kidneys of FMF patients compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- SWE can detect increased kidney stiffness in children with FMF.
- SWE is a promising noninvasive method for evaluating renal involvement in pediatric FMF.
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