Sections View Full Chapter Figures Tables Videos Annotate Full Chapter Figures Tables Videos Supplementary Content + Download Section PDF Listen ++ For further information, see CMDT Part 15-11: Familial Mediterranean Fever + Key Features Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Episodic bouts of acute peritonitis associated with serositis involving the joints and pleura Rare autosomal recessive disorder Almost exclusively affects people of Mediterranean ancestry, especially Sephardic Jews, Armenians, Turks, and Arabs Patients lack a protease in serosal fluids that normally inactivates interleukin-8 and complement factor 5A + Clinical Findings Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Symptom onset before the age of 20 Fever Severe abdominal pain and abdominal tenderness with guarding or rebound tenderness Joint pain, inflammation Pleuritic chest pain, pleural effusion Secondary amyloidosis (renal, hepatic) occurs in 25% of cases and can lead to death + Diagnosis Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Usually a clinical diagnosis Gene responsible for familial Mediterranean fever (MEFV) has been identified Genetic tests fail to identify known gene mutation in one-third of patients + Treatment Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Untreated, attacks resolve within 24–48 hours Patients may undergo unnecessary exploratory laparotomy Colchicine, 0.6 mg two or three times daily orally Decreases the frequency and severity of attacks Can prevent or arrest amyloidosis