Özet:

Aim: Familial Mediterranean fever is an autoinflammatory disease characterized by attacks of inflammation. Despite treatment, there is evidence of subclinical persistence of inflammation with normal laboratory values. This study was conducted to investigate the cardiac effects of continued subclinical inflammation in children and the predisposition towards arrhythmia in familial Mediterranean fever. Materials and Methods: Age and sex-matched familial Mediterranean fever patients and healthy controls were compared in terms of demographic, laboratory, echocardiographic and electrocardiographic data. The patients with familial Mediterranean fever were grouped according to disease severity scores and compared in terms of electrocardiographic data that could indicate arrhythmogenesis. Correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between the electrocardiographic measurements and the clinical and laboratory data. Results: In the comparison of the two groups, no significant difference was found in the echocardiographic measurements in terms of left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions. According to these data, QT and Tp-e intervals were significantly longer in those with familial Mediterranean fever (p=0.002, p=0.046, respectively). When the patients were classified according to the 3 separate disease severity scores, QT dispersion in the moderate-severe disease group was significantly longer than in the mild disease group (p<0.001, p=0.002, p=0.013, respectively). In correlation analysis, weak correlations were found between and QT dispersion, disease duration and P wave dispersion, and frequency of attacks and QT dispersion. Conclusion: Our study results indicate that the predisposition to ventricular arrhythmia is greater in children with familial Mediterranean fever and that this can be associated with the severity of the disease.