Positive effects of ocrelizumab in patients with familial mediterranean fever and coexistent multiple sclerosis

Caner Feyzi DEMİR1, Ferhat BALGETiR1, Özlem ETHEMOĞLU2, Dürdane AKSOY3, Filiz AKTAŞ4, Süleyman Serdar KOCA5, Mehmet Fatih YETKIN6, İrem TAŞCI7

1Department of Neurology, Fırat University, Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey
2Department of Neurology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Şanlıurfa, Turkey
3Department of Neurology, Gaziosmanpaşa University, Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey
4Department of Neurology, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Konya, Turkey
5Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Fırat University, Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey
6Department of Neurology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
7Department of Neurology, Malatya Training and Research Hospital, Malatya, Turkey

Keywords: Colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever, familial Mediterranean fever, multiple sclerosis, ocrelizumab

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effects of ocrelizumab (OCZ) on familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attacks in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with FMF (MS+FMF patients).

Patients and methods: This retrospective observational study included 11 patients (2 males, 9 females; mean age 46.6±9.2; range, 22 to 55 years) with MS+FMF hospitalized between January 2016 and July 2019. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters and patient reported outcomes were analyzed in patients treated with OCZ for 18 months.

Results: Combining OCZ with colchicine in MS+FMF patients significantly reduced the frequency of FMF attacks (p=0.003) and the frequency of joint attacks (p=0.002). Consistent with the clinical improvement, the maximum serum C-reactive protein levels were significantly decreased after combination therapy compared to before combination therapy (p=0.003). MS+FMF patients reported that FMF disease activity improved after OCZ therapy (Visual Analog Scale [VAS] 74±9.6 vs. VAS 46.5±8.1 mm, p=0.003).

Conclusion: Ocrelizumab therapy led to a prominent decrease in the frequency of FMF attacks, alleviated functional impairment, and improved quality of life in MS+FMF patients.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.