A Dietary Treatment for Familial Mediterranean Fever JAMA Internal Medicine

Table of Content

• Learn more about the genes associated with Familial Mediterranean fever
• A Dietary Treatment for Familial Mediterranean Fever
• Symptoms and Signs
• Risk factors
• What do we know about heredity and Familial Mediterranean Fever?
• Your saved search
• The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories
• Catalog of Genes and Diseases from OMIM

There are suggestions that one should consume less milk while taking cochicine due to lactose intolerance but I have not seen studies to know if this is true. Rilonacept reduces the frequency of FMF attacks and seems to be a treatment option for patients with colchicine-resistant or -intolerant FMF. This website is focused on natural treatment remedies as discussed below. Colchicine is effective in preventing attacks for most people.

Familial Mediterranean fever is caused by a gene change that's passed from parents to children. The gene change affects the function of an immune system protein called pyrin, causing problems in regulating inflammation in the body. Familial Mediterranean fever is a hereditary disorder characterized by episodes of high fever with abdominal pain or, less commonly, chest pain, joint pain, or a rash. However, another mechanism is believed to account for some cases of familial Mediterranean fever that were originally thought to be inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. If one parent has familial Mediterranean fever and the other parent is an unaffected carrier , it may appear as if the affected child inherited the disorder only from the affected parent.

Learn more about the genes associated with Familial Mediterranean fever

However, the abdominal pain of familial Mediterranean fever is virtually indistinguishable from that of other abdominal emergencies, particularly a ruptured appendix. Thus, some people with this disorder have urgent surgery before the correct diagnosis is made. Q. I have familial Mediterranean fever and it appears my 4 year-old son has it too though he most likely has only one mutation causing his symptoms. My son’s osteopath referred me to your web-site so that I may find a safe alternative to taking colchicine. I have been in contact with a research doctor at National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland since 1989 regarding my condition and have been on colchicine almost continuously since then. I have also directed my doctor to your web-site in the hopes that he may contact you with any questions.

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A Dietary Treatment for Familial Mediterranean Fever

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A family history of FMF increases your likelihood of developing the condition because this genetic change is passed from parents to their children. Familial Mediterranean fever is an inherited chronic condition that causes episodes of high fever and other symptoms. Episodes generally last for 1 to 3 days, and people are often symptom-free between episodes. Most centers, however, only test for a subset of the mutations that cause FMF, particularly those common in FMF patients. Elevated serum haptoglobin, which would indicate that red blood cells are being destroyed, a common occurrence in rheumatic diseases, such as FMF.

Symptoms and Signs

Moreover, the peritoneal fluid of familial Mediterranean fever patients contains abnormally low levels of the inhibitor of complement fragment C5a and interleukin 8. Failure to suppress inflammatory response to C5a may explain the typical inflammatory Familial Mediterranean fever crises. FMF symptoms and signs are due to recurrent crises of fever and serosal inflammation, leading to abdominal, thoracic or articular pain. Erysipela like erythema affecting mainly feet and legs and effort-induced myalgia are less frequently encountered symptoms.

Genetic counseling can help you understand gene changes and their effects. However, it can be controlled with daily, life-long use of the anti-inflammatory medication colchicine. The medication is taken once or twice per day and prevents episodes in most people with FMF. Symptoms can change over time and might vary from episode to episode. There’s no cure for familial Mediterranean fever, but medication can manage the condition. If left untreated, familial Mediterranean fever can lead to organ damage and kidney failure.

Familial Mediterranean Fever is an autosomal recessive inherited disease, which means it appears only in individuals who received two copies of the mutant gene that causes FMF, one from each parent. Depending on the severity and frequency of attacks, FMF can cause long-term health complications. Even if symptoms are mild, FMF can trigger the overproduction of a protein known as serum amyloid A. These insoluble proteins can gradually accumulate in and cause damage to major organs, most predominately the kidneys. Despite the severity of symptoms during acute attacks, most patients recover swiftly and remain free of illness until their next attack. Patient and rare disease organizations may choose to list clinical studies that focus on the disease they support.

During these periods, affected individuals usually have no signs or symptoms related to the condition. Familial Mediterranean fever is caused by variants in the MEFV gene. The MEFV gene provides instructions for making a protein called pyrin , which is found in white blood cells.

What do we know about heredity and Familial Mediterranean Fever?

No routine laboratory test or imaging test is by itself diagnostic, but such tests can be useful in excluding other disorders. Blood tests can identify the abnormal gene that causes this disorder and can thus sometimes help with the diagnosis. Because some people with typical familial Mediterranean fever have only one rather than two copies of the gene or occasionally have no detectable mutations in the gene, genetic test results may be negative. In these cases, people should receive genetic counseling and care from specialists who are experienced with familial Mediterranean fever. The abnormal gene results in the production of a defective form of pyrin, a protein that regulates inflammation. Alternatively, there may also be nongenetic and environmental factors that play a role in how this syndrome develops.

Colchicine , taken in pill form, reduces inflammation in your body and helps prevent attacks and the development of amyloidosis. Work with your doctor to determine the best dosing strategy for you. Some people take one dose a day, while others need smaller, more-frequent doses. Common side effects include abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea. Familial Mediterranean fever can be described as an inflammatory disorder in people, which can lead to recurrent fever, as well as painful inflammation in a person’s joints, lungs and abdomen. This disorder is generally inherited and is a lot more prevalent in people who are of Mediterranean origin.