Prevalence of Hypertension and Blood Pressure Control in Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients

Background and Objective: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by inflammatory febrile attacks with polyserositis and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension (HT) in FMF patients and compare the frequency with that of the general population.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with FMF between 2000 and 2020 and participants in the PatenT 2 study were included. We used office blood pressure measurements taken with calibrated sphygmomanometers.

Results: We enrolled 528 patients with FMF and 1234 age- and gender-matched controls. The mean age of the study population was 35.48 ± 13.54, and 314 (59.5%) of the total patients were female. The prevalence of HT was lower in FMF patients compared to the control group [68 (12.9%) vs. 215 (17.4%), p = 0.02]. Patients without amyloidosis had significantly lower mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and higher mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared to the control group (113.4 ± 15.5 vs. 120.9 ± 15.94, p < 0.001, and 72.4 ± 11.03 vs. 71.07 ± 10.53, p = 0.05, respectively). Of the patients without amyloidosis, 294 (63.1%) had normal SBP and DBP, while 28 (45.2%) patients with amyloidosis and 616 (49.9%) control group participants had normal SBP and DBP. Regression analysis showed that GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² and increasing age were risk factors for the development of HT.

Conclusion: The prevalence of HT, mean blood pressure, and achievement of target blood pressure are better in FMF patients than in the general population. However, blood pressure control decreases with increasing age, especially when eGFR falls below 60 mL/min/1.73 m².