Screening of family members of children with Familial Mediterranean Fever: True - autosomal and pseudo - autosomal inheritance

Objectives: Screening of family members of children with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) has been carried out to detect new potential patients and to analyze the type of inheritance other than autosomal recessive. Methods: Marenostrin encoding fever gene mutational analysis has been performed in 83 subjects - including 19 newly diagnosed children with FMF and their family members. Results: Fourteen additional patients with FMF were diagnosed by screening family members. Pseudo-dominant and true dominant inheritances were detected in two families respectively, while the rest of the patients exhibited autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Conclusion: Screening the family members of newly diagnosed FMF patients provides the opportunity to reveal undiagnosed new cases and to understand the mode of inheritance.