Platelet count and MPV as predictive markers of atherosclerosis in familial Mediterranean fever

Abstract

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an auto inflammatory syndrome, characterized by recurrent febrile episodes, arthritis, oral aphthous stomatitis, rash, serositis, abdominal and thoracic pain. Longterm outcome is conventionally linked to the severity of the recurrent attacks and to the risk of systemic amyloidosis. However recent studies highlighted the role of chronic inflammatory diseases in the insurance of atherosclerosis. Risk factors for atherosclerosis are also recently identified in a higher medium platelet volume (MPV).