Cardiopathic amyloidosis as a pathogenetical factor for development of myocardial infarction at familial mediterranean fever

Abstract

Familial Mediterranean fever is characterized by recurrent fever, peritonitis, pleuritis, pericarditis, skin lesions and arthritis. Clinical-morphological analysis of 68 autopsy cases was done. Cardiac amyloidosis in FMF leads to heart failure. Macroscopically cardiomegaly was observe. The morphological manifestations of cardiac affection in FMF were amyloidosis of the vessels and myocardium stroma. Cardiac failure can develop before renal amyloidosis and uremia. Myocardium infarction develops in background of cardiac lesions in FMF, in which amyloid angiopathias and coronary vasculitis are main predisposing pathogenic factors. Homozygotes for M694V may experience more severe disease and may be more likely to develop amyloidosis.