Objectives: to evaluate cessation of colchicine therapy in patients with FMF who possess only1 MEFV mutation.
Methods : We performed a prospective controlled study evaluate patients that were diagnosed with FMF treated with colchicine and were carrier of one of the common MEFV mutation .
Patients were included in the study if they were 2-18 years, treated with colchicine, had a normal level of serum amyloid A (SAA )and had > 6 months free of attacks.
SAA levels were evaluated at 0,3,6months following cessation.
Results : twelve patients ages 10.7±4 years enrolled in the study, average time of colchicine therapy prior to entering the study was 36.3 months (7-144 months). Average time without attacks before enrolment was 12.8±8.6 months and the average follow up after stopping colchicine therapy was 15.3±5.7months .
Five patients (41.6%) had an FMF attack during follow up and needed to renew colchicine therapy, the average time to renew colchicine therapy was 5.3 months (1.5-11.4 months).
There were no differences between the groups of patients that were able to stop colchicine and the groups that renew therapy in age (10.7±1.6vs 10.6±6.3 p- 0.97) , level of SAA at enrolment (4±3.6vs 3.3±2.4 p-0.7). Time of colchicine therapy prior to enrolment shown tendency towards longer time in the patients needed to resume therapy (22.3±12.6 vs 53±51 months p-0.18) .
Conclusions: cessation of colchicine therapy in selected group of patients who are heterozygote MEFV mutation should be considered, SAA levels could not predict FMF attacks following cessation of colchicine therapy.
