Vertebral artery dissection associated with familial Mediterranean fever and Behçet's disease

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2019 Apr 4;6(5):974-978. doi: 10.1002/acn3.773. eCollection 2019 May.

Abstract

Vertebral artery dissection and recurrent meningitis are rare complications in Behçet's disease. Behçet's disease may be associated with familial Mediterranean fever. Here, we describe a 52-year-old woman with severe headache who exhibited recurrent meningitis and vertebral artery dissection. Cerebrospinal fluid showed high levels of interleukin-6. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed right vertebral artery dissection. The patient had three heterozygous mutations in the familial Mediterranean fever gene (MEFV) gene. She fulfilled criteria for diagnosis of Behçet's disease and familial Mediterranean fever. In conclusion, mutations of the MEFV gene may cause neuro-inflammatory disorders and cerebrovascular disorders by reducing anti-inflammatory activity of pyrin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Behcet Syndrome / complications*
  • Cerebellum / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / complications*
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Meningitis / diagnostic imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Pyrin
  • Vertebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Vertebral Artery Dissection / diagnostic imaging
  • Vertebral Artery Dissection / etiology*

Substances

  • Interleukin-6
  • MEFV protein, human
  • Pyrin

Grants and funding

This work was funded by JSPS KAKENHI grant 18K15446.