Absence of interferon activity during acute attacks of Familial Mediterranean Fever

The pharmacokinetics of interferon, the symptoms caused by its administration, the decreased prevalence of viral diseases in FMF patients and the fact that colchicine, the drug of choice in the prevention of FMF attacks is an interferon antagonist, raised the question whether interferon may have a role in the pathogenesis of FMF attacks. An interferon activity was not detected in sera obtained at he height of FMF attacks in 8 patients, six of them under colchicine treatment. It is possible that the interferon activity has to be searched at the very beginning of FMF attacks, since at their height it already disappeared from the serum, while the symptoms of the attack are further mediated by other interferon-induced lymphokines.