A Japanese Case of Episodic Fever Compatible with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Abstract

A 31-year-old Japanese female came to our outpatient clinic because of a 15-year history of recurrent episodic chest pain accompanied by fever, each lasting for three days. The patient was diagnosed with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) because of the following: 1) short attacks of fever recurring at varying intervals; 2) pleuritic chest pain accompanied by fever; 3) the patient's sisters had similar episodes of fever accompanied by abdominal or chest pain; and 4) absence of any other causative factors responsible for her symptoms or pathologic findings. Although FMF has been described primarily in several limited ethnic groups, only a few cases have been reported in Japan. No diagnostic tests are commercially available for FMF so identifying the characteristic clinical picture of FMF is important.