الفهرس 
Cardiac repolarization abnormalities in Egyptian children with familial mediterranean fever
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Abstract
Background: Familial mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease where conduction disturbances and rhythm disorders are important manifestations of cardiac involvement. Aim of work: To show if FMF patients are prone to cardiac repolarization abnormalities and therefore arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Patients and methods: it is a cross sectional study conducted on 60 FMF patients and 40 age and sex matched healthy controls. Cardiac repolarization markers, cardiac dimensions and functions were assessed by ECG and conventional echocardiography in cases and control. Result: The mean ±SD age of the patients was 10.4±3.472 years, corrected QT interval (QTc) and the ratio of peak to end T wave over corrected QT interval (Tpe/QTc) increased significantly in FMF patients more than controls (P value 0.023 and 0.022 respectively). P wave dispersion (Pd) was significantly higher in FMF patients with amyloidosis (P value 0.030). No significant difference was found in cardiac dimensions and functions. Statistically negative correlation was found between Pd and age at study, age of disease onset, age at diagnosis. Statistically positive correlation was found between Pd and number of attacks per month, number of attacks per year at time of study and severity score. Positive significant correlation was found between Tpe/QTc ratio and FMF 50 score, between QTc and 24hr proteinuria and between QT, JT intervals and Fibrinogen. Conclusion: FMF patients may have increased risk of arrhythmia