Sav, Nadide MelikeAltinsoy, Hasan BakiTuren, BetulGokce, Ayse2025-10-112025-10-1120252227-9067https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020232https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12684/21582Background/Objectives: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a chronic autoinflammatory disease. Throughout the disease, subclinical inflammation persists into the remission period. It is known that chronic inflammation causes endothelial dysfunction and, as a consequence, arterial stiffness occurs. In this study, carotid and aortic intima-media thicknesses (IMT) and arterial stiffness were measured in FMF patients to evaluate the risk of possible vascular damage due to chronic inflammation. Methods: The study included pediatric patients with FMF who had been in remission for a minimum of 3 months. Carotid and aortic IMT and arterial stiffness measurements were conducted using sonoelastography. The acute-phase reactants were also evaluated in all participants. Results: Carotid artery stiffness measurements by strain elastography were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group. However, the aortic and carotid IMT were similar between the two groups. The acute-phase reactants were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that arterial stiffness increased in pediatric FMF patients. According to the results of the present study, the effects of chronic inflammation on arterial tissues may lead to atherosclerotic changes in the later stages of the disease and may pose a risk for coronary diseases. Arterial ultrasonographic and elastographic measurements to be performed periodically in children with FMF are noninvasive methods that can be used to evaluate the course of endothelial damage. We aimed to show that arterial stiffness may be a marker of early cardiovascular disease.en10.3390/children12020232info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessarterial stiffnesschildrenfamilial mediterranean feverinflammationintima-media thicknessreal-time tissue elastographyArticle122400033342-s2.0-85219197927WOS:001429663700001Q2Q2