[Periodic disease and periarteritis nodosa in the same patient: coincidence?]

Abstract

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) chiefly affects patients of Arabic, Jewish, Armenian or Turkish origin and takes the form of recurrent episodes of peritonitis, arthritis or pleurisy. Periarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a vasculitis affecting elderly people and manifested by a general deterioration, unexplained fever and peripheral neuropathy or muscular weakness. We describe a patient presenting both diseases. Ours is the seventh reported case associating these two affections. This association was suspected by SACHS and co-workers who discovered an increased frequency of PAN in patients with FMF compared to the expected rate for the whole population (7). These observations warrant a search for PAN in young patients affected by FMF and showing signs of vasculitis.