The impact of familial Mediterranean fever on reproductive system

Abstract

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by recurrent attacks of fever, peritonitis, pleuritis, arthritis, or erysipelas-like skin lesion. FMF is the most common periodic febrile syndrome affecting more than 150,000 people worldwide. The majority of patients develop FMF before the age of 20. FMF may cause amyloidosis, which mainly affects the kidneys but may also be accumulated in other organs such as the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive organs. FMF being a systemic disorder with a risk for amyloidosis, affecting patients in their childbearing years, and with its lifelong colchicine therapy raises concern about its effect on the reproductive system. In this article, we review the impact of FMF and its treatment to the reproductive system of male and female patients, pregnancy, and lactation.

Autoinflammatory syndromes as causes of fever of unknown origin

“…5 Despite theoretical concerns, there is no evidence that colchicine causes infertility or birth defects. 6,7 Colchicine is licensed in the US for the treatment of FMF from the age of 4 years.…”

Long-Term Complications of Familial Mediterranean Fever

“…Reassuringly, reproductive outcomes in FMF appear entirely comparable to the healthy population [ 46 ]. There have been long-standing concerns that untreated FM could reduce fertility due to pelvic adhesions, infl ammatory attacks affecting the gonads, and AA amyloidosis [ 47 , 48 ].…”

Fiebre mediterránea familiar. Nueva mutación MEFV con presentación clínica inusual

“…La paciente presentaba una mutación heterocigota del factor V Leiden, un hallazgo no publicado anteriormente en asociación a la FMF y que podría explicar su infertilidad. Por otro lado, en la FMF se puede producir infertilidad debido a las adherencias abdominopélvicas por peritonitis de repetición y por lesiones ováricas secundarias a depósito amiloide 12 .…”