Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life
Abstract Background Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a lifelong autoinflammatory disease that typically begins in childhood and requires continuous treatment and follow-up. The disease is characterized by recurrent inflammatory attacks, and the unpredictable nature of these episodes often leads...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43166-025-00346-0 |
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| author | Nazife Sule Yasar Bilge Yasemin Saglan Resit Yildirim Burcu Ceren Ekti Uludogan Mustafa Dinler Ugur Bilge Timucin Kasifoglu |
| author_facet | Nazife Sule Yasar Bilge Yasemin Saglan Resit Yildirim Burcu Ceren Ekti Uludogan Mustafa Dinler Ugur Bilge Timucin Kasifoglu |
| author_sort | Nazife Sule Yasar Bilge |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a lifelong autoinflammatory disease that typically begins in childhood and requires continuous treatment and follow-up. The disease is characterized by recurrent inflammatory attacks, and the unpredictable nature of these episodes often leads to anxiety, depression, and a decreased quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life in patients with FMF and to identify the clinical and psychological factors that influence it, with a particular focus on the roles of disease severity, anxiety, and depression. Methods This cross-sectional study included 150 patients diagnosed with Familial Mediterranean Fever according to the Tel-Hashomer or Sheba Medical Center criteria. Participants completed the Short Form-36 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaires. Clinical data and MEFV gene mutations were retrieved from the hospital registry. Disease severity was assessed using the International Severity Score for FMF. Associations between quality of life and clinical features, disease severity, anxiety, and depression were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results Among the participants, anxiety was more prevalent than depression (84% vs. 70%). However, no significant correlation was found between anxiety (HADS-A) or depression (HADS-D) scores and age, gender, presence of comorbidities, or FMF severity scores. This suggests that psychological symptoms in FMF patients may occur independently of clinical or demographic characteristics, indicating that the disease itself may contribute directly to the development of anxiety and depression. Conclusions FMF negatively affects quality of life both physically and psychologically. The high rates of anxiety and depression, independent of clinical factors, highlight the importance of incorporating psychosocial evaluation into routine FMF care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b76ecd50ea5e4bb48c9103301b2748d2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2090-3235 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation |
| spelling | doaj-art-b76ecd50ea5e4bb48c9103301b2748d22025-08-20T03:05:03ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation2090-32352025-08-015211710.1186/s43166-025-00346-0Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of lifeNazife Sule Yasar Bilge0Yasemin Saglan1Resit Yildirim2Burcu Ceren Ekti Uludogan3Mustafa Dinler4Ugur Bilge5Timucin Kasifoglu6Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of RheumatologyEskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family MedicineEskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of RheumatologyEskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of RheumatologyEskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of RheumatologyEskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family MedicineEskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of RheumatologyAbstract Background Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a lifelong autoinflammatory disease that typically begins in childhood and requires continuous treatment and follow-up. The disease is characterized by recurrent inflammatory attacks, and the unpredictable nature of these episodes often leads to anxiety, depression, and a decreased quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life in patients with FMF and to identify the clinical and psychological factors that influence it, with a particular focus on the roles of disease severity, anxiety, and depression. Methods This cross-sectional study included 150 patients diagnosed with Familial Mediterranean Fever according to the Tel-Hashomer or Sheba Medical Center criteria. Participants completed the Short Form-36 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaires. Clinical data and MEFV gene mutations were retrieved from the hospital registry. Disease severity was assessed using the International Severity Score for FMF. Associations between quality of life and clinical features, disease severity, anxiety, and depression were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results Among the participants, anxiety was more prevalent than depression (84% vs. 70%). However, no significant correlation was found between anxiety (HADS-A) or depression (HADS-D) scores and age, gender, presence of comorbidities, or FMF severity scores. This suggests that psychological symptoms in FMF patients may occur independently of clinical or demographic characteristics, indicating that the disease itself may contribute directly to the development of anxiety and depression. Conclusions FMF negatively affects quality of life both physically and psychologically. The high rates of anxiety and depression, independent of clinical factors, highlight the importance of incorporating psychosocial evaluation into routine FMF care.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43166-025-00346-0Familial Mediterranean feverAnxietyDepressionQuality of life |
| spellingShingle | Nazife Sule Yasar Bilge Yasemin Saglan Resit Yildirim Burcu Ceren Ekti Uludogan Mustafa Dinler Ugur Bilge Timucin Kasifoglu Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Familial Mediterranean fever Anxiety Depression Quality of life |
| title | Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life |
| title_full | Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life |
| title_fullStr | Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life |
| title_short | Familial Mediterranean Fever reduces the quality of life |
| title_sort | familial mediterranean fever reduces the quality of life |
| topic | Familial Mediterranean fever Anxiety Depression Quality of life |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43166-025-00346-0 |
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