Once-daily use of colchicine in children with familial Mediterranean fever

Abstract

Patients with familial Mediterranean fever routinely take daily multiple doses of colchicine to prevent acute attacks and to reduce the risk of amyloidosis. However, although there is no research in this regard in the literature, some clinicians believe that the use of colchicine in children as daily single dose may cause toxic side effects. The efficiency and the side effects of the administration of daily single dose versus daily multiple doses of colchicine were evaluated in the treatment of patients with familial Mediterranean fever. Thirty-nine patients being observed at Atatürk University Medical Faculty Pediatrics outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group I consisted of 20 patients who continued taking colchicine in 2 or 3 divided doses daily as they did before the study. Group II comprised 19 patients who were given the total daily colchicine dose at 1 time. Patients were re-examined at 30-day intervals and both groups maintained this regimen for an average duration of 8 months. There was no difference between these 2 groups with respect to frequency of side effects, number of attacks, and acute phase response. Therefore, the daily colchicine dose can be given to children once daily.