Idiopathic uveitis and familial mediterranean Fever: is there any relationship?

[familial mediterranean fever]

Introduction . Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF ) is an auto-inflammatory disease characterized by attacks of fever and polyserositis . FMF is often associated with other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis , polyarteritis nodosa (PAN ), and Behcet . Uveitis is an inflammatory process caused by underlying infectious and inflammatory disorders . This study investigates the probable relationship between idiopathic uveitis and FMF . Methods . Patients with idiopathic uveitis were analyzed for the 12 most common MEFV mutations (P 369 S , F 479 L , M 680 I (G /C ), M 680 I (G /A ), I 692 del , M 694 V , M 694 I , K 695 R , V 726 A , A 744 S , R 761 H , E 148 Q ) by a reverse hybridization assay (FMF StripAssay ,Vienna lab ,Vienna , Austria ). Results . 12 patients with idiopathic uveitis were enrolled in this study . 10 of them were female . The youngest patient was a 7 -year -old child and the oldest was 57 . The most common complaints of patients were blurred vision and then eye redness . One patient was heterozygous for R 761 H . Genetic analysis of the 12 most common MEFV mutations in the patients with idiopathic uveitis didnot have any positive results . Conclusion . According to the analysis of the 12 most common MEFV gene mutations , FMF is not an underlying cause of idiopathic uveitis . On the other hand , uveitis merely could not be the first presentation of FMF .