Inflammation: familial Mediterranean fever: practice question

A Pathology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pathology · Inflammation: familial Mediterranean fever

Sample item

A 12-year-old girl of Arab descent has had recurrent 2-day episodes of fever with severe abdominal pain, pleuritic chest pain and an erysipelas-like rash on the shin, with normal findings between attacks. Her uncle had renal failure from amyloidosis. Which treatment prevents the most serious long-term complication in her?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Daily colchicine

Familial Mediterranean fever is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease caused by MEFV mutations in pyrin, which regulates the inflammasome and IL-1 release. The most dangerous complication is AA amyloidosis, which causes renal failure, and continuous colchicine prevents attacks and prevents amyloid deposition. Anakinra or canakinumab are used in colchicine-resistant cases.

Option by option

  • A. Daily colchicine (correct)

    Continuous colchicine reduces attacks and prevents the AA amyloidosis that threatens the kidneys.

  • B. Weekly methotrexate

    Methotrexate is a disease-modifying drug for inflammatory arthritis and is not the standard way to prevent amyloidosis here.

  • C. Prophylactic benzathine penicillin

    Penicillin prophylaxis prevents recurrences of rheumatic fever and has no effect on an autoinflammatory disease.

  • D. Intermittent prednisolone for attacks

    Steroids given during attacks do not prevent amyloid deposition and carry their own toxicity.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Pathology question

What is the answer to this Pathology question?

The best answer is A, Daily colchicine. Familial Mediterranean fever is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease caused by MEFV mutations in pyrin, which regulates the inflammasome and IL-1 release.

Why is "Weekly methotrexate" not the answer?

Methotrexate is a disease-modifying drug for inflammatory arthritis and is not the standard way to prevent amyloidosis here.

Why is "Prophylactic benzathine penicillin" not the answer?

Penicillin prophylaxis prevents recurrences of rheumatic fever and has no effect on an autoinflammatory disease.

Why is "Intermittent prednisolone for attacks" not the answer?

Steroids given during attacks do not prevent amyloid deposition and carry their own toxicity.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Inflammation: familial Mediterranean fever in Pathology. The most dangerous complication is AA amyloidosis, which causes renal failure, and continuous colchicine prevents attacks and prevents amyloid deposition. Anakinra or canakinumab are used in colchicine-resistant cases.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Inflammation: familial Mediterranean fever?

Learn each disease as a bundle: cause, key histology, markers, and the clinical hallmark. Then use the flashcards and the other Pathology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.