Background: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic disorder manifested by recurrent attacks of peritonitis, pleuritis and arthritis, and characterized by clinical and laboratory evidence for localized and systemic inflammation. Colchicine treatment usually prevents the attacks and the associated inflammation. Inflammation may play an important role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Recently colchicine was suggested as a therapy that help to prevent coronary heart disease.

Objectives: To study the effect of FMF and colchicine treatment on the cardiovascular morbidity and the overall mortality.

Methods: We studied using the data base from health insurance in Israel (Maccabi Healthcare Services-MHS) the presence of IHD and its risk factors in 492 FMF patients aged 40 years or more, and in a control groups matched by age gender and socioeconomic status.

Results: The incidence of cardiac disease in FMF patients was similar to the control group (6.5% vs 5.7% p- 0.594), smoking kidney disease and gout were higher in FMF compared to the control group (16.1 % vs 12.8% p- 0.022, 9.3% vs 5.1 p- 0.01 and 4.5% vs 0.2% p<0.001 respectively), but hypertension and diabetes were similar.

The overall mortality in average follow up of 3174.37 ±1738.84 days was similar in both groups.

Conclusion: The incidence of cardiac disease among FMF patients was not increased compared to the control group, despite the exposure to recurrent inflammation. We suggest that colchicine may have a protective role in these patients. Further studies are required.

Acknowledgements: I want to acknowledge Dr. Elad Asher for the support in the study

Disclosure of Interests: None declared