Familial Mediterranean fever

Alternative names:

benign paroxysmal peritonitis; periodic disease; periodic fever; periodic peritonitis; recurrent polyserositis

Symptoms:

• fever or alternating chills and fever (relapsing)
• abdominal pain
• chest pain that occurs repeatedly (recurrent)
• abdominal pain that is recurrent or with similar pain in past
• joint pain that occurs repeatedly (recurrent)
  • hip pain, knee pain, ankle pain, foot pain, pain over the small joints of the foot, shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain, hand pain, pain over the small joints of the hand, or pain in other joints

• red, painful, swollen lower legs (excluding joints)

Signs and tests:

There is no specific test to diagnose this disease. Elimination of other possible diseases by laboratory tests or X-rays will help determine the diagnosis.