Decreased Prevalence of Atopy in Paediatric Patients with Familial
187 EXTENDED REPORT Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.2003.007013 on 13 January 2004. Downloaded from Decreased prevalence of atopy in paediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever C Sackesen, A Bakkaloglu, B E Sekerel, F Ozaltin, N Besbas, E Yilmaz, G Adalioglu, S Ozen ............................................................................................................................... Ann Rheum Dis 2004;63:187–190. doi: 10.1136/ard.2003.007013 Background: A number of inflammatory diseases, including familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), have been shown to be driven by a strongly dominated Th1 response, whereas the pathogenesis of atopic diseases is associated with a Th2 response. Objective: Because dominance of interferon gamma has the potential of inhibiting Th2 type responses— that is, development of allergic disorders, to investigate whether FMF, or mutations of the MEFV gene, See end of article for have an effect on allergic diseases and atopy that are associated with an increased Th2 activity. authors’ affiliations Method: Sixty children with FMF were questioned about allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, ....................... and atopic dermatitis, as were first degree relatives, using the ISAAC Study phase II questionnaire. The Correspondence to: ISAAC Study phase II was performed in a similar ethnic group recruited from central Anatolia among Dr S Ozen, Hacettepe 3041 children. The same skin prick test panel used for the ISAAC Study was used to investigate the University Medical Faculty, presence of atopy in patients with FMF and included common allergens. Paediatric Nephrology Results: The prevalences of doctor diagnosed asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema were 3.3, 1.7, and and Rheumatic Diseases Unit, Sihhiye, 06100 3.3%, respectively, in children with FMF, whereas the corresponding prevalences in the ISAAC study were Ankara, Turkey; 6.9, 8.2, and 2.2%, respectively.
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