Familial Mediterranean fever

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Temperature measurement

Familial paroxysmal polyserositis; Periodic peritonitis; Recurrent polyserositis; Benign paroxysmal peritonitis; Periodic disease; Periodic fever

• Fever or alternating chills and fever (relapsing)
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain that occurs repeatedly (recurrent)
• Recurrent abdominal pain, recurrent
• Recurrent joint pain
  • Pain in hip, knee, ankle, shoulder elbow or wrist
  • Pain over the small joints of the foot or hand
  • Pain in other joints
• Skin lesions that are red and swollen and range from 5-20 cm in diameter

There is no specific test to diagnose this disease. Sometimes analysis of the chromosomes can help. Ruling out other possible diseases using laboratory tests or x-rays will help determine the diagnosis.

Certain blood tests may be higher-than-normal when done during an attack. They include:

• White blood cell count
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
• Plasma fibrinogen
• Serum haptoglobin
• Ceruloplasmin
• C-reactive protein

Review Date: 08/15/2006
Reviewed By: Hilary M. Babcock, M.D., Medical Director of Occupational Infection Control, Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's Hospitals; Instructor of Medicine, Infectious Disease Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.