Familial Mediterranean Fever Intertwined With a Diagnosis of Crohn's Disease: A Case Report

Autoinflammatory diseases are a group of disorders caused by the dysregulation of the innate immune system, leading to episodes of systemic inflammation, with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) being the most common among them. Other inflammatory disorders have recently been associated with FMF, including inflammatory bowel disease, specifically Crohn's disease (CD). While the gastrointestinal involvement in FMF is not the most typical presentation, both FMF and CD can share clinical features that challenge their diagnosis and treatment. We present a case of a man in his 50s who initially presented with a fever and was subsequently diagnosed with FMF, followed by appropriate treatment. However, he received a later diagnosis of CD after experiencing therapeutic failure and the development of severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Significant clinical improvement occurred only after initiating targeted therapy for CD with infliximab. This case illustrates the complexity and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges that arise when these two diseases coexist, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to achieve better clinical outcomes.