Familial Mediterranean fever and IgA nephropathy: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common form of autoinflammatory syndromes and is characterized by recurrent inflammatory attacks of fever and serositis. Amyloidosis is the most common renal complication of FMF. In addition to amyloidosis, many renal lesions have been anecdotally reported in patients with FMF and other hereditary periodic fevers. We report a Turkish child with FMF presenting with hematuria during attacks, in whom kidney biopsy documented the presence of mesangial IgA deposits and the absence of amyloidosis. Kidney biopsy should be performed in patients showing microscopic or gross hematuria during attacks of familial Mediterranean fever in order to gain additional epidemiological data about specific features of renal involvement and to allow adequate treatment.