Abstract

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are autoantibodies directed at lysosomal constituens of leucocytes, with two major immunufluoresence stainig patterns: cytoplasmic (c-ANCA), and perinuclear (p-ANCA). ANCA can be found mainly pauci-immune necrotising vasculitis and other inflammatory disease. We tested the prevalance of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies during acute attacks in 18 patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). There was a patient positivity among the FMF patients. There were no ANCA positivity among the 20 healty control group. There were no statisticaly signification between FMF patients and healty control group (p=0.474). We suggest that FMF, perhaps as a consequence of impaired control of inflammatory responses to vasculitis. The role of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in the inflammation pathogenesis of FMF patients is not clear.