Inflammation at the Crossroads: Familial Mediterranean Fever and Cardiovascular Risk

The understanding between Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains unclear. The study's objective was to investigate the association between FMF and CVD.

Based on a survey targeting individuals with FMF, the patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and hypertension were considered patients with CVD.

Out of 522 patients, 201 had CVD. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 53.00 ± 6.43 in patients without CVD and 57.60 ± 8.33 in patients with CVD. Hypertension was present in 188 patients (36%), coronary artery disease was observed in 51 patients (9.8%), and 10 patients (1.9%) had cerebrovascular disease. In patients with CVD, diabetes (30.3%) was the most common comorbidity. All patients consumed colchicine. Thirty-five patients with (17.2%) and 25 without CVD (7.8%) had colchicine resistance. 90% continued treatment with colchicine. 25 (12.4%) patients with CVD were using biological agents, as were 18 (5.7%) patients without CVD (p=0.006). The attack period average C-reactive protein (CRP) level was 61.3 (SD=53.1), while in remission, it had an average value of 3.39 (SD=4.28). CRP median was 3.00 (3.65) during attacks in the group with CVD, and 2.00 (2.5) in the group without CVD (p=0.011). CRP median was 2.8 (3.55) in patients with hypertension, and 2.00 (2.7) in patients without hypertension.

FMF does not appear to increase the risk of CVD. Colchicine resistance was associated with the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Colchicine and anti-interleukin-1 show promise in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in patients with FMF.