Prevalence, incidence and geographic distribution of familial Mediterranean fever in Turkey: a national cohort study
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY, cilt.43, sa.10, ss.1709-1714, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 43 Sayı: 10
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/pzbg88
- Dergi Adı: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1709-1714
- Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objective This study aimed to analyse the incidence and geographical distribution of Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) in Turkey using the electronic medical records database (e-Pulse) of the Ministry of Health. Method The study utilised nationwide health data from the e-Pulse, which has been operational since 2016. Patient selection was based on ICD-10 codes for FMF, with a minimum of two recorded codes entered at least 30 days apart. Patients aged >= 50 and those with gout-related ICD-10 codes were excluded. The prevalence and incidence of FMF in 2018 were calculated, taking into account gender, age demographics, and regional distribution. Results A total of 160,897 FMF patients were identified from a population of 82,003,882, yielding a prevalence of 139 per 10,000 individuals. The incidence was 2.78 per 10,000. The highest number of records was found among individuals aged 15-19. Geographically, the highest rate of prevalence was found in Ardahan, Bayburt, and Sivas, regions in the North-Eastern part of Turkey. Family records revealed that 11.7% of children under 18 with FMF had at least one parent diagnosed with FMF. Conclusion FMF is beyond the definition of a rare disease and a significant health issue in Turkey, with a non-uniform distribution influenced by both genetic and historical factors. The findings of this study highlight the utility of national electronic health records like e-Pulse in conducting large-scale epidemiological research, which could guide future public health strategies for FMF patients.