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Perinatal outcomes and long-term infectious morbidity of offspring born to mothers with familial Mediterranean fever

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate perinatal outcomes and long-term infectious morbidity in children of mothers with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).

Methods

A population-based cohort study comparing perinatal outcomes and long-term infectious morbidity of offspring of mothers with and without FMF was conducted. All singleton deliveries between the years 1991–2021 in a tertiary medical center were included. The study groups were followed until 18 years of age for long-term infectious morbidity. A Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to compare the cumulative incidence of long-term infectious morbidity, and generalized estimation equation (GEE) models as well as Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to control for confounders.

Results

During the study period, 356,356 deliveries met the inclusion criteria. 411 of them were women with FMF. The mean follow-up period interval was 9.7 years (SD = 6.2) in both study groups. Using GEE models, preterm delivery, cesarean delivery, and low birth weight were independently associated with maternal FMF. The total infectious-related hospitalization rate was significantly higher in offspring born to mothers with FMF compared to the comparison group (Kaplan–Meier survival curve, log-rank p < 0.001). Using a Cox proportional hazards model, controlling for gestational age, maternal age, diabetes mellitus, cesarean delivery, and hypertensive disorders, being born to a mother with FMF was found to be an independent risk factor for long-term infection-related hospitalization of the offspring.

Conclusion

Maternal FMF was found to be independently associated with long-term infection-related hospitalization of the offspring. This positive correlation may reflect an intra-uterine pro-inflammatory environment which may result in the offspring's long-term susceptibility to infection.

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Data availability

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Restrictions apply to the availability of these data due to participant confidentiality.

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Funding

The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Goldman Medical School at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Itay Asher

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Itay Asher, Eyal Sheiner, N. Tifferet Willner & Gali Pariente

  3. Division of Internal Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Lior Zeller

Authors
  1. Itay Asher
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  2. Eyal Sheiner
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  5. Gali Pariente
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Contributions

Study conception and design were performed by IA, ES, and GP. Data collection was performed by IA. Data analysis and drafting of the manuscript were completed by IA and GP. All authors contributed to the manuscript editing and revision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Itay Asher.

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Competing interests

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Consent to participate

Informed consent by the participants was waived since the data retrieved from the medical records were anonymous to the researchers. The data were handled in accordance with the principles of GCP.

Consent to publish

Informed consent by the participants was waived since the data retrieved from the medical records were anonymous to the researchers. The data were handled in accordance with the principles of GCP.

Ethics approval

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC) (protocol code SOR-19-0357, date of approval 10 October 2019).

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Asher, I., Sheiner, E., Willner, N.T. et al. Perinatal outcomes and long-term infectious morbidity of offspring born to mothers with familial Mediterranean fever. Arch Gynecol Obstet (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07317-w

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