Familial Mediterranean fever may mimic acute appendicitis in children

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children. Diagnosis and management are often straightforward. However, familial Mediterranean fever is an important condition to consider in the assessment of children with acute abdominal pain, particularly in children with an origin in eastern Mediterranean basin where the disease is common. The key feature of familial Mediterranean fever is relapsing episodes of fever and serositis including peritonitis, pleurisy, or arthritis. The disease is treated with colchicine that prevents acute attacks, control subclinical inflammation between the attacks and the long-term complication of amyloidosis. The acute attacks may be a challenge to identify and distinguish from other causes of acute abdomen, including acute appendicitis, but also small bowel obstruction. Ultrasound and CT scan findings are nonspecific during acute attacks of familial Mediterranean fever, but imaging is useful to identify acute appendicitis and small bowel obstruction. The purpose of this article was to increase the awareness and knowledge of familial Mediterranean fever and provide support for the paediatric surgeon in the clinical care of these children in parts of the world where familial Mediterranean fever is rare.