Sonographic evaluation of intra-abdominal organs in children with familial Mediterranean fever

Abstract

Objective: The reticuloendothelial system is rarely assessed in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). We aimed to evaluate the size of the liver and spleen by ultrasonography in children and adolescents with FMF and compare it to their healthy peers. Material and Method:Patient data were evaluated by height, weight, and age and compared with those of healthy controls.Results: A total of 86 children with FMF diagnosed using the Turkish Pediatric Criteria and 54 healthy children were included. The extent of splenomegaly was 27.9% in the FMF group. The mean spleen length was 99.84±17.4 mm in patients and 93.44+15.49 mm in controls (p=0.03). The mean liver length was 122.61±17.4 mm in patients and 117.71±16.04 mm in controls (p=0.104). FMF appears to affect spleen length independently of anthropometric data (t=2.182; p=0.031). Splenomegaly was accompanied by the M694V (32.55%, n=17) and E148Q (3.4%, n=3) mutations. Conclusion:FMF affects spleen length independently of anthropometric data. Splenomegaly may reflect subclinical inflammatory activity in FMF patients in remission. Spleen size can serve as a marker of subclinical inflammation during remission.