Depression and sleep disturbances in children and adolescents with familial Mediterranean fever: a prospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary autoinflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent febrile episodes and serositis.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of FMF on sleep quality in children and adolescents and to explore the relationship between depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances in this patient population.

DESIGN AND

SETTING

A prospective case-control study was conducted at a secondary hospital in Istanbul between July 2024 and January 2025.

METHODS

Children and adolescents diagnosed with FMF who were followed at a pediatric rheumatology clinic were included. Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Correlations between these scores were analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patient group (n = 97) was significantly higher than that of the control group (n = 90) (10.6 ± 2.9 years vs. 9.3 ± 2.4 years; p < 0.001). The median SDSC and BDI scores were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Analysis of the SDSC subscales indicated that patients with FMF experienced difficulties in sleep initiation and maintenance, sleep-related breathing problems, hyperhidrosis, arousal disturbances, sleep-wake transitions, and excessive daytime somnolence (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between patient subgroups categorized by MEFV gene mutations in total BDI scores, total SDSC scores, all SDSC subscale scores, or depression severity classes (p > 0.05). Furthermore, no significant correlations were observed between total BDI scores and total SDSC scores or any of the SDSC subscale scores (p > 0.05)..

CONCLUSION

Children and adolescents with FMF had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances than controls.