Abstract
Background and Objectives: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an inherited autoinflammatory disease characterized by recurrent febrile attacks and serosal inflammation. The goals of FMF treatment are to prevent acute attacks and the development of amyloidosis. This study aimed to investigate the benefit of switching to compressed colchicine tablets in patients with FMF who are resistant or intolerant to the pharmaceutical preparation of coated colchicine tablets in terms of attack frequency and side effects. Materials and Methods: Patients who developed resistance and intolerance under coated colchicine tablet treatment and, therefore, switched to compressed colchicine tablets were identified. The attack frequencies and drug-related side effects in patients using the two different pharmaceutical colchicine preparations were compared. Results: The mean age of the 172 patients treated with compressed tablets alone following coated tablets was 36.3 ± 11.4 years, and 75 (43.6%) were male. The most common genetic mutation was detected as M694V in 111 (64.5%) patients, and 36 (20.9%) of them were homozygous. A decrease in the daily colchicine dose was found after switching to compressed colchicine tablets in patients followed for 7 years (2.1 ± 0.7 mg vs. 1.7 ± 0.5 mg; p < 0.001). Episodes lasted for one to three days and then resolved spontaneously. After treatment with the compressed tablet form of colchicine, 129 (75%), 33 (19%), and 10 (6%) patients had 0-3, 4-6, and more than 7 attacks, respectively (p < 0.001). Diarrhea and aminotransferase elevation, the most common side effects in patients using coated colchicine tablets, decreased after using compressed colchicine tablets (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Compressed colchicine tablets were shown to be effective in patients who did not respond to coated colchicine therapy and those with pre-treatment intolerance to biological agents.