Osteoarthritis in patients with familial Mediterranean fever: genetic basis and anti-inflammatory effect of laser acupuncture

Background
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent attacks of fever, peritonitis, pleuritis, arthritis, and renal amyloidosis. Arthritis could be the presenting symptom in many cases. Laser acupuncture has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects on joint arthritis.
Aim
To highlight the genetic basis of osteoarthritis in patients with FMF and to highlight the anti-inflammatory effect of laser acupuncture on osteoarthritis of knee joint in Egyptian patients with FMF.
Patients and methods
A randomized controlled study was performed on 40 Egyptian patients with FMF. Molecular analysis of gene mutations was performed for all selected patients. Twenty patients with FMF were exposed to low-level laser acupuncture sessions (laser acupuncture group) and 20 other patients with FMF did not receive low-level laser acupuncture sessions (control group). Twelve low-level laser acupuncture sessions were implemented for the group treated with laser acupuncture three times per week for a duration of 4 weeks. All patients were checked before and after laser acupuncture sessions for pain intensity, radiography changes, and some inflammatory markers (white blood cell, eosinophils, lymphocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein).
Results
mutation was detected in 40% of patients. Patients with FMF with knee arthritis exposed to low-level laser acupuncture sessions showed significant improvement in pain intensity compared with the control group ( < 0.001). Statistical significance improvement of the treated knees started from the third follow-up laser session revealed by significant improvement in the radiography findings ( < 0.001). The inflammatory markers white blood cell, eosinophils, lymphocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein became significantly lower ( = 0.037, < 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion
variant of gene is more frequent in the Egyptian patients with FMF with osteoarthritis. Low-level laser acupuncture therapy is effective in ameliorating pain of osteoarthritis in patients with FMF.