P-wave dispersion in systemic AA amyloidosis of familial Mediterranean fever

Cardiac repolarization abnormalities in children with familial Mediterranean fever

BACKGROUND

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory disease that can have conduction disturbances and cardiac rhythm disorders as manifestations of cardiac involvement. The aim of the study is to assess the susceptibility of children with FMF to cardiac repolarization abnormalities and therefore arrhythmia in children with FMF.

METHODS

A cross sectional study conducted on 60 children had FMF and 40 age and sex matched healthy controls. Cardiac repolarization markers, cardiac dimensions and functions were assessed by electrocardiogram (ECG) and conventional echocardiography in patients and controls.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age of the patients was 10.43 ± 3.472 years, corrected QT (QTc) and the ratio of peak to end T wave (Tpe) over QTc interval (Tpe /QTc) increased significantly in FMF patients more than healthy control (p value 0.023 and 0.022 respectively). P wave dispersion (Pd) was significantly higher in FMF patients with amyloidosis (p value 0.030). No significant difference was found in cardiac dimensions and functions between the two groups. We found a statistically negative correlation between Pd and age of patients at time of study, age of disease onset and age at diagnosis. On the other hand, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between Pd with number of attacks per year and disease severity score. Furthermore, Tpe/QTc ratio correlated with FMF 50 score, QTc correlated with 24 hours proteinuria. QT, JT intervals correlated with fibrinogen.

CONCLUSIONS

FMF Patients may have increased risk of arrhythmia and should be monitored on regular basis. Compliance to colchicine therapy and better disease control might play a role in decreasing this risk.

Colchicine's Effects on Electrocardiographic Parameters in Newly Diagnosed Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients : Colchicine may have Favourable Effects on Parameters Related to Ventricular Arrhythmias in New Diagnosed Familial Mediterranean Fever

OBJECTIVE

Colchicine may prevent both recurrent serositis attacks and secondary amyloidosis in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Furthermore, colchicine may decrease the frequency of atrial fibrillation in some groups of patients without FMF. However, there is no study that evaluates the effect of colchicine on arrhythmogenic electrocardiographic indices in FMF. In this study, we evaluated the impact of 1 year of colchicine treatment on atrial and ventricular arrhythmogenic electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters in newly diagnosed FMF patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We enrolled 28 newly diagnosed FMF (20 female, mean age 31.4 ± 8.2 years) patients who fulfilled the modified Tel Hashomer criteria. Electrocardiographic, demographic and laboratory parameters were obtained at the first visit and at the end of the 1‑year colchicine treatment. Herein, we assessed P wave dispersion (Pd) for atrial arrhythmia risk and peak-to-end interval of T wave (Tp-E), Tp-E/QT, Tp-E/QTc values for ventricular arrhythmia risk.

RESULTS

Colchicine treatment significantly decreased Tp-E and Tp-E/QT values (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively) by the end of the 1‑year treatment. However, Pd values did not change with treatment.

CONCLUSION

Colchicine treatment may have a favourable effect on ventricular repolarisation indices that relate to ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death.

Late ventricular potentials in familial Mediterranean fever with and without AA amyloidosis

Objective

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by episodic and chronic inflammation that may lead to both accelerated coronary atherosclerosis and cardiac AA amyloidosis. We hypothesized that late ventricular potentials (LPs), an established electrocardiographic susceptibility marker of ventricular arrhythmias, will be more common in FMF than in the adjusted normal population due to these two types of inflammation-associated cardiac effects. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the occurrence of LPs in FMF patients with and without amyloidosis.

Material and Methods

Signal-averaged electrocardiography was performed in consecutive patients with FMF using the Frank corrected orthogonal lead system. At least 200 consecutive beats were digitally recorded and averaged, and the presence of LPs was determined according to acceptable thresholds.

Results

There were 54 patients with colchicine-treated FMF, of whom 14 had biopsy-proven AA amyloidosis. None of the uncomplicated FMF patients and 2 of the 14 FMF amyloidosis patients had abnormal or borderline LPs.

Conclusion

Based on LPs as a susceptibility marker for arrhythmia, FMF patients, including the large majority of FMF patients with amyloidosis, are seemingly not at an increased risk to develop arrhythmias.

Colchicine as an anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective agent

INTRODUCTION

Colchicine has been successfully used for the treatment of neutrophilic disorders such as familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), Behçet disease (BD) and gout. There is a growing interest in its cardiovascular effects.

AREAS COVERED

A MEDLINE/PubMed search for English articles published from January 1972 to June 2015 was completed using the following terms: therapy, pharmacokinetics, efficiency, side effects, toxicity, heart, colchicine, inflammation, FMF, amyloidosis, BD, gout, cardiovascular disorders, pericarditis, arrhythmias, inflammation, neutrophils, platelets.

EXPERT OPINION

By targeting neutrophils, endothelial cells and platelets, inhibiting mitosis, vascular hyperplasia and fibrosis, colchicine improves outcomes of pericarditis, myocardial ischemia and coronary interventions. Studies in neutrophilic rheumatic diseases and cardiovascular disorders demonstrated that oral colchicine at doses of 0.5 - 2.5 mg/daily is useful for treating pericarditis, myocardial ischemia and coronary occlusion. In rheumatic and cardiovascular disorders, therapeutic doses of the drug reduce C-reactive protein to levels below 2 mg/L, prevent myocardial damage and preserve normal values of atrial and ventricular impulse generation. One of the drug's frequent side effects is diarrhea, which is treated by diet modification or temporary discontinuation of the therapy. Certain drugs (macrolides, statins), comorbidities and certain genetic factors increase risk of colchicine toxicity.

P wave dispersion and QT dispersion in adult Turkish migrants with familial mediterranean fever living in Germany

BACKGROUND

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary autoinflammatory disease associated with subclinical inflammation, which includes atherosclerosis arising from endothelial inflammation, which in turn increases the risk of atrial or ventricular arrhythmias. Conduction abnormalities can be detected using the electrocardiographic (ECG) indices P and QT dispersion (Pdisp and QTdisp). Currently, it is unknown whether patients with FMF are more likely to have abnormalities of these ECG indices. Moreover, existing studies were conducted in countries with higher FMF prevalence. We therefore perform the first prospective study assessing Pdisp and QTdisp in adult FMF patients in Germany, where prevalence of FMF is low.

METHOD

Asymptomatic FMF patients (n=30) of Turkish ancestry living in Germany and age-matched healthy controls (n=37) were prospectively assessed using 12-lead ECG.

RESULTS

Patients and controls were comparable in gender and body mass index, and patients had higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) compared to controls (ESR: 23.7±14.3 vs. 16.1±13,3 mm/1(st)h, p=0.03, CRP: 0.73±0.9 vs. 0.26±0.4 g/dl, p=0.01, SAA: 3.14±4,8 vs. 0.37±0.3 mg/dl, p<0.01). No statistically significant difference between patients and controls respectively, for Pdisp (43.7±11.9 vs. 47.1±11.2ms, p=0.23), QTdisp (65.9±12.3 vs. 67.6±12.7 ms, p=0.58) or corrected QTdisp (cQTdisp: 73.9±15.0 vs. 76.0±13.3 ms, p=0.55) was found. No correlation could be found between Pdisp or QTdisp or cQTdisp and any of the biochemical markers of inflammation.

CONCLUSION

FMF patients living in Germany show a Pdisp and QTdisp comparable to healthy controls, with no increased risk of atrial or ventricular arrhythmias indicated.

QT interval variability in familial Mediterranean fever: a study in colchicine-responsive and colchicine-resistant patients

The association between familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), early atherosclerosis, and electrocardiographic markers for arrhythmias remains controversial. There are conflicting results as to the occurrence of high QT dispersion in FMF. The aim of the present study was to further investigate repolarization dynamics and other repolarization-associated pro-arrhythmogenic markers in FMF patients. To explore repolarization in FMF, patients who responded well to colchicine and patients who had not responded to colchicine, yet were amyloidosis-free, were included. We aimed to evaluate whether increased inflammatory burden, a characteristic of non-responsive patients, was specifically associated with abnormal repolarization. Included in the study were 53 FMF patients (27 colchicine non-responders) and 53 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Electrocardiograms were performed under strict standards. QT variability parameters were computed with custom-made computer software. No significant difference in any of the QT dynamic parameters was found in either FMF group compared with the healthy controls. Mean values of QT variability index, regardless of colchicine response, were similar to previously published results for healthy persons. In conclusion, patients with FMF who are continuously treated with colchicine and have not developed amyloidosis, regardless of their clinical response, have normal QT variability parameters, indicating normal repolarization dynamics and suggesting no increased risk of repolarization-associated cardiac arrhythmias.