Assessment of neuromyopathy in patients with familial mediterranean fever used colchicine

This study aims to evaluate 88 patients who were followed due to familial mediterranean fever (FMF) diagnosis and used colchicine between 2010-2012 by Child Nephrology Polyclinic of Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, in terms of neuromyopathy since myopathy had been detected in a patient previously diagnosed as FMF. 53.4% (n=47) of the cases included in the study were female and their age average was 10.1±(3.35) years (2.4-18.9). Side effects of colchicine were determined in 12 patients (13%) using colchicine, 8 (9%) of whom were observed to suffer from diarrhea, 1 (1%) of whom form leucopenia, and 1 (1%) of whom from hair loss. In addition, 1 patient had been followed due to myopathy diagnosis before our study. This patient was a male with mild mental retardation. High asymptomatic ceratine kinase (CK) (3937 U/L) and nonsymptomatic myopathic changes in muscle biopsy pathology were observed in the second year of his colchicine treatment. In follow-ups, colchicine treatment of the patient was ceased for 5 months and despite decreases (lowest 1556 U/L), CK values of the patient were never observed in normal values and due to frequent attacks in the patient, colchicine treatment was continued by necessity. Whether or not the myopathy of the patient depended on an underlying myopathy or colchicine usage could not be determined.Abnormal findings were observed in nerve conduction studies in electroneuromyography (ENMG) in only one patient, and the findings indicated the presence of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This patient was 17 year-old male employed as a worker in auto mechanic. Occupational repetitive hand movements were thought to cause CTS. Since the case was asymptomatic, there was no progress in CTS findings in ENMG and colchicine treatment was continued, the contribution of colchicine to CTS was not excluded completely.In conclusion, colchicine is a crucial drug for FMF treatment, however it has a side effect potential like neuromyophaty. Although this study does not determine strong data about this issue, patients using colchicine should be followed for these complications that may develop.