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Pericardial disease in familial Mediterranean fever: an echocardiographic study
Abstract:
We studied 30 randomly selected patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) by M mode echocardiography to determine the frequency of pericardial involvement. There was no evidence of congestive heart failure, uremia, or any other illness known to be associated with pericardial disease in the study population. Eight of the 30 patients (27 percent) had echocardiographic evidence of pericardial disease. Two had pericardial effusions, two had pericardial thickening, and four either or both. Patients with pericardial involvement had a mean duration of FMF of 28.9 +/- 12.2 (SD) years vs 18.5 +/- 10.6 (SD) years for those without pericardial disease (P less than .02). We concluded that pericardial involvement is common in FMF and that its occurrence as detected by echocardiography increases with duration of illness.
Insights
Pericardial involvement is common in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Echocardiography revealed pericardial disease in 27% of patients, increasing with illness duration.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Genetics
Background:
- Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic autoinflammatory disorder.
- Pericardial disease is a known, though not fully characterized, complication of FMF.
- Excluding other causes of pericardial disease is crucial in FMF patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of pericardial involvement in FMF patients using echocardiography.
- To investigate the relationship between FMF duration and pericardial disease.
- To assess echocardiographic findings indicative of pericardial disease in FMF.
Main Methods:
- M-mode echocardiography was performed on 30 randomly selected FMF patients.
- Patients with known causes of pericardial disease were excluded.
- Echocardiographic findings were analyzed for evidence of pericardial effusion or thickening.
Main Results:
- Twenty-seven percent (8 of 30) of FMF patients exhibited echocardiographic evidence of pericardial disease.
- Findings included pericardial effusions (2 patients), pericardial thickening (2 patients), or both (4 patients).
- Patients with pericardial involvement had a significantly longer mean duration of FMF (28.9 years) compared to those without (18.5 years).
Conclusions:
- Pericardial involvement is a frequent finding in familial Mediterranean fever.
- The prevalence of echocardiographically detected pericardial disease increases with the duration of FMF.
- Echocardiography is a valuable tool for identifying subclinical pericardial involvement in FMF.