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Familial Mediterranean fever in Arab children: The high prevalence and gene frequency

  • Immunology/Allergology
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Abstract

Over a period of 3 years, 192 children with familial Mediterranean fever were prospectively studied. Of these, 106 (55%) were girls and 86 (45%) were boys. The prevalence was 1∶2600 children with a gene frequency of 1∶50. The age at onset ranged between 4 months and 16 years. Of these patients 24% started their illness below the age of 2 years and 88% were symptomatic before the age of 10 years: 82% had recurrent abdominal pain, 43% had pleurisy, 37% had arthritis, 15% had cutaneous manifestations, 12% had splenomegaly and 4% had hepatomegaly. The presenting symptoms were abdominal pain in 51%, unilateral chest pain in 23% and arthritis in 26%. The family history was positive in 62%. Of 12 affected families 19 members had/have renal failure and amyloidosis was confirmed in 7 patients.

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Abbreviations

FMF :

familial Mediterranean fever

PBTH :

Princess Basma Teaching Hospital

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Rawashdeh, M.O., Majeed, H.A. Familial Mediterranean fever in Arab children: The high prevalence and gene frequency. Eur J Pediatr 155, 540–544 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01957901

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