Investigation of Hepatic and Splenic Shear-wave Elastography Findings in Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Purpose: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory multisystemic disorder that may impact internal organs. This study aims to evaluate the impact of FMF on the liver and spleen utilizing shear wave elastography (SWE). Materials and Methods: Our study included patients diagnosed with FMF according to the Tel-Hashomer criteria, aged ≥18 years, who did not have AA amyloidosis or any conditions affecting liver or spleen tissue. Electronic medical records were examined retrospectively. A radiologist with a minimum of five years of expertise in shear wave elastography conducted the procedure. Shear wave elastography results were compared between patients with FMF and healthy controls. Results: We examined fifty-one cases of FMF (25 females, 26 males) with a mean age of 32.3 years, alongside 14 healthy persons (4 females, 10 males) with a mean age of 36.9 years. The predominant symptom was fever, observed in 98% of cases, whereas 64.7% had the M694V gene mutation. No significant difference was seen between the mean SWE values of FMF cases and the control group. A positive connection between hepatic stiffness and age was identified (r=0.319, p=0.023). The age at disease onset exhibited a correlation with hepatic stiffness and velocity (r=0.474, p=0.001; r=0.386, p=0.007, respectively). Conclusion: A consensus on non-invasive methods to follow up patients with FMF is lacking. Further studies are necessary for the quantitative and routine application of SWE measurements in solid organs affected by inflammatory disorders, including FMF.