The evaluation of renal hemodynamics changes in Familial Mediterranean fever with color Doppler sonography.

BACKGROUND

Renal resistive index (RRI) scanned through renal Doppler is a practical marker employed in measuring blood flow in renal and intrarenal arteries and in noninvasive evaluation of renal vascular resistance. We aimed to investigate the renal hemodynamic variations in patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF).

METHODS

Seventy-nine FMF patients and 51 healthy subjects suitable for age and sex were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to their urinary albumin excretion. Fifty-two patients with 0-29 mg/day albuminuria were included in the normoalbuminuric group while 27 patients with 30-299 mg/day albuminuria were included in the microalbuminuric group.

RESULTS

RRI values were higher in patients with FMF compared to the healthy subjects (p < 0.0001). Additionally, RRI values were found to be higher in the microalbuminuric patients group compared to the normoalbuminuric patients group, and RRI values were also higher in normoalbuminuric patients group compared to the control group (p = 0.002, p < 0.0001). The ROC curve analysis suggested that the optimum RRI cutoff value for microalbuminuria in patients was 0.63, sensitivity of 66%, specificity of 60%, and p = 0.013.

CONCLUSIONS

RRI may be a marker that may be used in assessing resistance to renal blood flow, early renal damage, and progression of renal damage in FMF patients.