Familial Mediterranean Fever
New familial Mediterranean fever research, summarized each month in plain language.
2026 so far: So far in 2026 (January 2026 to September 2026), real-world studies emphasized colchicine stopping/adjustments and IL-1 blockers for resistant FMF, while ongoing between-attack inflammation stayed central to tracking amyloidosis risk. Read the 2026 review
We also cover clinical trials.
Yearly update
2026 so far
- IL-1 blocker treatment. Registry and surveys clarified control, spacing, and tapering variability.
- Colchicine changes. Evidence expanded from stopping outcomes to formulation switching and adherence links.
- Daily management gaps. Studies highlighted adherence measurement gaps and uneven access to biologics.
- Amyloidosis risk tracking. Matched-cohort and biomarker studies kept pointing to persistent inflammation signals.
- Diagnosis and testing. Broader sequencing and cohort data reinforced limits of genetics alone.
New
September 2026
- Colchicine form change. Some children had fewer attacks after changing colchicine form.
- Colchicine with statins. Adding colchicine to statins showed little extra muscle risk.
- Time to diagnosis. Diagnosis often took months; family history shortened the wait.
- Amyloidosis risk markers. Higher ongoing inflammation linked more strongly to AA amyloidosis.
August 2026
- Dose spacing results. Canakinumab lowered blood inflammation, but longer gaps did not suit everyone.
- Arthritis at onset. Arthritis at diagnosis was linked to longer canakinumab dosing intervals.
- CRP for monitoring. CRP tracked flare inflammation, and adding SAA added little.
- Sleep and mood. Children with FMF reported more sleep problems and depressive symptoms.
July 2026
- Attack control. Many had no attacks for months on canakinumab.
- Dose changes. Plans to taper or stop anakinra varied widely.
- Test interpretation. MEFV results often need symptoms and inflammation tests for context.
- Amyloidosis risk. Ongoing inflammation between attacks may relate to amyloidosis risk.
June 2026
- Colchicine use. In one clinic study, regular colchicine use linked to fewer attacks.
- After stopping colchicine. A small number stayed in remission after stopping colchicine.
- Amyloidosis risk. Studies again found higher amyloidosis rates in people with FMF.
- Symptoms and stress. Attack worry and leg pain linked to higher burden.
May 2026
- Blood counts across flares. In children with FMF, routine blood count patterns differed during attacks compared with remission.
- Inflammation proteins under study. Several inflammation-related blood proteins were higher in FMF, but these findings are not yet proven as reliable markers.
- MEFV variants and severity. Some MEFV gene patterns were linked to earlier onset and more severe FMF in children and teens.
- Disaster-related flare increase. One study reported a short-term rise in attacks in children after a major earthquake, especially where colchicine access was limited.
April 2026
- IL-1 blockers and leg pain. In a small real-world report, exertional leg pain improved in about half of colchicine-resistant patients on IL-1 blockers, but often continued.
- Access to IL-1 blockers. Availability and reimbursement for IL-1 blockers differed widely by country, which limited use even when the medicines were approved.
- Inflammation between attacks. Between attacks, “silent” inflammation was reported in some children and was more often seen alongside more severe FMF features.
- Expanded genetic testing. Broader sequencing sometimes identified additional variants after older, limited MEFV testing was negative or hard to interpret.
March 2026
- Fewer attacks with biologics. In reports of colchicine-resistant FMF, biologic medicines were linked with fewer attacks.
- Serious infections reported. In canakinumab reports, a small number of serious infections were described.
- MEFV variants raise risk, not certainty. Higher-risk MEFV variants were linked with greater severity, but children with the same variants could still have different symptoms.
- Blood markers still unproven. Some blood markers moved with inflammation, but they are not yet validated for routine use.
February 2026
- Colchicine adherence gaps. In children, measured colchicine adherence was often lower than families reported, and lower adherence was linked with more school absences.
- App-based self-management. A mobile game training program increased self-efficacy and reported treatment compliance in children, while symptom measures did not all change in the same direction.
- Biologics after colchicine. In colchicine-resistant pediatric FMF, anakinra and canakinumab were both linked with lower disease activity and inflammation markers, with different day-to-day tolerability patterns in real-world data.
- Distinguishing similar conditions. In children with abdominal pain, blood-count inflammation markers were higher in appendicitis than in FMF attacks, and small comparisons also found different imaging patterns across causes of ankle pain.
January 2026
- Colchicine stopping. Some stayed attack-free, but blood inflammation still increased.
- Colchicine use habits. Better illness understanding was linked to taking colchicine regularly.
- Biologic dosing. Canakinumab was most preferred, often tapered by spacing injections.
- Heart and kidney risk. FMF was linked to higher rates of heart and kidney diagnoses.
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