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Ornek A, Kurucay M, Henning BF, Pagonas N, Schlottmann R, Schmidt WE, Giese A. Sonographic assessment of spleen size in Turkish migrants with Familial Mediterranean fever in Germany. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2014; 33:1991-1997. [PMID: 25336487 DOI: 10.7863/ultra.33.11.1991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) can be associated with splenomegaly. Prospective quantitative data are lacking. We performed a sonographic assessment of spleen size in patients with FMF and healthy control participants to assess its diagnostic value. METHODS Patients with FMF according to the criteria of Livneh et al (Arthritis Rheum 1997; 40:1879-1885) who were in an asymptomatic interval and control participants were prospectively included in this study in Germany and underwent sonographic measurement of the spleen as well as a structured interview and a physical examination. Patients and controls were Turkish migrants. RESULTS Thirty-six patients and 27 controls were included. Patients and controls did not differ significantly in age (mean ± SD, 34.8 ± 9.7 versus 33.3 ± 10.0 years, respectively; P = .56), sex, height, weight, or body mass index (26.7 ± 4.7 versus 26.1 ± 4.3 kg/m(2); P = .63). Spleen size was greater in patients than controls in width (4.3 ± 1.0 versus 3.7 ± 0.7 cm; P = .008) and also length (12.1 ± 1.9 versus 10.5 ± 1.4 cm; P = .001). Twenty-six of 36 patients (72.2%) had a history of appendectomy compared to 3 of 27 controls (11.1%; P < .001). The combination of an enlarged spleen (length >11 cm and/or width >4 cm) gave specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval, 87%-100%) and a positive predictive value of 100% (95% confidence interval, 78%-100%) for the diagnosis of FMF in our study. CONCLUSIONS Spleen size as evaluated by sonography is larger in patients with FMF compared to healthy controls. Most patients with FMF included in this study had undergone appendectomy. Familial Mediterranean fever should be considered as a differential diagnosis in Turkish migrants in Germany if the spleen is enlarged and a history of appendectomy is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Ornek
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.)
| | - Mustafa Kurucay
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.)
| | - Bernhard F Henning
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.)
| | - Nikolaos Pagonas
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.)
| | - Renate Schlottmann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.)
| | - Wolfgang E Schmidt
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.)
| | - Arnd Giese
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Marienhospital Herne, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany (A.Ö., M.K., B.F.H., N.P., A.G.); Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (A.Ö.); and Department of Internal Medicine I, St Josef-Hospital, Medical Center of Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany (R.S., W.S., A.G.).
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Disease severity in adult patients of Turkish ancestry with familial mediterranean fever living in Germany or Turkey. Does the country of residence affect the course of the disease? J Clin Rheumatol 2013; 19:246-51. [PMID: 23872541 DOI: 10.1097/rhu.0b013e31829ce005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The environment may affect the course of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare disease severity between adult FMF patients in Turkey (TR) and Germany (G). METHODS Adult FMF patients of Turkish ancestry on colchicine living in Turkey (n = 40) or G (n = 35) were compared. Disease severity, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were assessed. RESULTS Groups differed significantly in the following aspects: age at onset of disease (TR: 15.6, G: 10.8 years; P = 0.02), delay between onset and initiation of colchicine treatment (TR: 6.8 years, G: 14.9 years; P < 0.001), female gender (TR: 80%, G: 57.1%; P = 0.04), and duration of disease (TR: 14.4 years, G: 23.4 years; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in colchicine treatment concerning average dosing and duration of therapy. No significant difference could be found between the 2 groups in CRP and disease severity as assessed by the score of Pras et al. (Am J Med Genet. 1998;75:216-219) even after adjusting for potential confounding variables. Mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate was significantly higher among patients living in G (TR: 13.2 mm/first hour, G: 26.3 mm/first hour; P < 0.001). Among patients living in Germany, there was a significant difference in age at FMF onset depending on their country of birth (born in TR: 14.9 years, born in G: 6.9 years; P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS In adult FMF patients living in Turkey or Germany, no difference in disease activity or CRP could be found. German patients were younger at onset of disease and had a longer delay between onset and initiation of colchicine treatment.
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