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. 2011 Oct;17(7):358-62.
doi: 10.1097/RHU.0b013e31823682f5.

Effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents for familial mediterranean fever patients with chronic arthritis and/or sacroiliitis who were resistant to colchicine treatment

Sule Apras Bilgen  1 , Levent Kilic, Ali Akdogan, Sedat Kiraz, Umut Kalyoncu, Omer Karadag, Ihsan Ertenli, Ismail Dogan, Meral Calguneri
Affiliations

Effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents for familial mediterranean fever patients with chronic arthritis and/or sacroiliitis who were resistant to colchicine treatment

Sule Apras Bilgen et al. J Clin Rheumatol. 2011 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Effectiveness of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents in colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients has attracted attention in recent years.

Objective: We analyzed the effect of anti-TNF agents on clinical findings of colchicine-resistant FMF patients with chronic arthritis and/or sacroiliitis.

Methods: Data from 10 FMF patients (5 male and 5 female patients: mean age, 30.1 [SD, 8.5] years) with chronic arthritis and/or sacroiliitis who were on anti-TNF agents are reviewed. Frequency of FMF attacks before and after treatment with anti-TNF agents was recorded from hospital files. The effects of the anti-TNF treatment were determined by using the number of tender and/or swollen joints, serum acute phase reactant levels, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index scores. Change in urine protein loss was also evaluated in patients with amyloidosis. In 6 patients, FMF attacks had been considered to be unresponsive to colchicine, and 4 patients were partial responders before treatment with anti-TNF agents.

Results: Mean attack frequency of the patients in the 3 months' period before anti-TNF agent treatment was 3.8 (SD, 3.1). After anti-TNF treatment, in 3 patients, FMF attack frequency decreased, and in the remaining 7 patients, no attack occurred. Serum acute phase reactant levels were decreased significantly at 3 and 6 months after anti-TNF treatment (P < 0.05 for all). After anti-TNF treatment Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index scores were also decreased significantly (6.2 [SD], 1.7 vs. 2.1 [SD], 1.7; P = 0.012). In all 3 patients with amyloidosis, urine protein loss decreased without any increase in serum creatinine levels.

Conclusion: Anti-TNF treatment can have beneficial effects for controlling FMF attacks in FMF patients with chronic arthritis and/or sacroiliitis.

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