Key result
Familial Mediterranean fever linked to ~33% lower aortic flow propagation velocity vs. healthy controls.
Why the study?
The relationship between systemic inflammation and arterial stiffness has not yet been described in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).
Does Familial Mediterranean Fever increase arterial stiffness as measured by aortic flow propagation velocity and carotid intima-media thickness compared to healthy controls?
Case-Control (n=118)
Single-blind
No
Does Familial Mediterranean Fever increase arterial stiffness as measured by aortic flow propagation velocity and carotid intima-media thickness compared to healthy controls?
Absolute Event Rate: 60.2% vs 89.5%
p-value: p=<0.001
Aortic flow propagation velocity is significantly reduced in patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever, suggesting it may serve as an early echocardiographic marker of arterial stiffness linked to systemic inflammation.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Systemic inflammation has an important role in the initiation of atherosclerosis, which is associated with arterial stiffness (AS). Aortic flow propagation velocity (APV) is a new echocardiographic parameter of aortic stiffness. The relationship between systemic inflammation and AS has not yet been described in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). We aimed to investigate the early markers of AS in patients with FMF by measuring APV and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-one FMF patients (43 women; mean age 27.3±6.7 years) in an attack-free period and 57 healthy individuals (36 women; mean age 28.8±7.1 years) were included in this study. The individuals with atherosclerotic risk factors were excluded from the study. The flow propagation velocity of the descending aorta and CIMT were measured to assess AS. RESULTS: APV was significantly lower (60.2±16.5 vs. 89.5±11.6 cm/sec, p<0.001) and CIMT was significantly higher (0.49±0.09 vs. 0.40±0.10 mm, p<0.001) in the FMF group compared to the control group. There were significant correlations between APV and mean CIMT (r=-0.424, p<0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (r=-0.198, p=0.032), and left ventricle ejection fraction (r=0.201, p=0.029). APV and the ESR were independent predictors of FMF in logistic regression analysis (OR=-0.900, 95% CI=0.865-0.936, p<0.001 and OR=-1.078, 95% CI=1.024-1.135, p=0.004, respectively). Mean CIMT and LVEF were independent factors associated with APV in linear regression analysis (β=-0.423, p<0.001 and β=0.199, p=0.017, respectively). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that APV was lower in FMF patients and is related to CIMT. According to our results, APV may be an independent predictor of FMF.
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Karaman et al. (2017) conducted a case-control in Familial Mediterranean fever (n=118). Familial Mediterranean fever vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Aortic flow propagation velocity (APV) (p=<0.001). Familial Mediterranean fever was associated with significantly lower aortic flow propagation velocity (60.2 vs. 89.5 cm/sec) and higher carotid intima-media thickness compared to healthy controls.
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