Familial Mediterranean Fever and Transverse Myelitis: A Causal Relation?

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a rare autoinflammatory disorder characterized mainly by recurrent self-limited episodes of fever and polyserositis. FMF-related neurologic complication is an old debate, and the correlation between FMF and demyelinating disorders has been a matter of dispute for a long time. Few reports demonstrated a relationship between FMF and multiple sclerosis; however, the existence of a causal relationship between FMF and demyelinating disorders is still a puzzle. This report presents the first case of transverse myelitis following FMF attacks in which neurologic manifestations were resolved using colchicine treatment. Due to relapses of FMF, which were accompanied by transverse myelitis, rituximab was administered, which resulted in stabilizing disease activity. Accordingly, in the case of colchicine-resistant FMF and FMF-related demyelinating conditions, rituximab could be considered as a potential therapeutic option to alleviate both polyserositis and demyelinating manifestations.

Automated summary

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a rare autoinflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent fever and polyserositis. The relationship between FMF and demyelinating disorders has been debated, but this report presents the first case of transverse myelitis following FMF attacks in which colchicine and rituximab treatments were used to alleviate symptoms. This suggests that rituximab could be a potential therapeutic option for colchicine-resistant FMF and FMF-related demyelinating conditions.