Crohn's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Crohn's Disease, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, causes, medication. | |||||||
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The familial Mediterranean fever (MEVF) gene as a modifier of Crohn's disease.Fidder H, Chowers Y, Ackerman Z, Pollak RD, Crusius JB, Livneh A, Bar-Meir S, Avidan B, Shinhar Y Department of Gastroenterology and The Heller Institute of Medical Research, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. OBJECTIVES: Crohn's disease (CD) has been reported to be more frequent among non-Ashkenazi Jewish patients suffering from familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Interestingly, functional similarities between the CD susceptibility gene (NOD2/CARD15) and the FMF gene (MEFV) have been described: both belong to the death domain containing protein family, important in the regulation of apoptosis, cytokine processing and inflammation. AIMS: To investigate the prevalence of MEFV mutations in Jewish non-Ashkenazi CD patients and its putative effect on CD presentation. METHODS: Germline DNA of 105 Israeli CD patients of non-Ashkenazi and mixed Ashkenazi-non-Ashkenazi ethnic background was analyzed for three most common MEFV mutations: M694V, V726A, and E148Q. Five patients (4.7%) with a clinical diagnosis of FMF were included. Data obtained from each patient included: age of onset, disease location, and behavior, the presence of extraintestinal manifestations of CD and therapeutic regimens. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of mutation carriers among non-FMF-CD patients was 13% (13/100). A stricturing disease pattern was observed in 56% (10/18) of all carriers, FMF-CD, and non-FMF-CD patients, and in 25% (22/87) of noncarriers (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.3-10.5, p= 0.015). The prevalence of fistulas was comparable in both groups. Extraintestinal manifestations were significantly more frequent among carriers than noncarriers (65%vs 32%, OR 3.9, 95% CI = 1.3-11.5, p= 0.015). No differences were observed in disease location and disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: MEFV mutations are not associated with CD susceptibility, yet the presence of these mutations appears to be associated with a stricturing disease pattern and extraintestinal disease manifestations of CD. Published 25 January 2005 in Am J Gastroenterol, 100(2): 338-43.
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