[Multiple sclerosis and familial Mediterranean fever: a case report].

BACKGROUND

Few cases of patients with both Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have been reported, mainly from Turkey. Central nervous system manifestations are rare in FMF.

METHODS

We report the case of a 37-year-old right-handed man with FMF diagnosed at 17 the age of years and successfully treated with colchicine. The patient was born in Algeria and lived in France since he was four years old. He had a brother who had multiple sclerosis. When the patient was 23 years old, he experienced diplopia and leg numbness that resolved spontaneously without treatment. Ten years later, new neurological events appeared every six months and were treated with corticoid-steroids. The diagnosis of MS was made. In 2006, he was hospitalized for new explorations in order to search for neuro-Behçet's disease, because of the development of a canker sore. There was no argument for neuro-Behçet's disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurological complications of FMF are rare. It is important to rule out a neuro-Behçet disease in a FMF patient with neurological disorders. Previous studies and case reports on the association between FMF and MS have failed to draw a clear conclusion as to whether this is a true association or a simple coincidence. In our patient's clinical situation, we found no argument for changing the treatment of MS and FMF.