Determination by ELISA of anti-DNA antibodies in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

Positive titers of antibodies against double-stranded (ds) and single-stranded (ss) DNA were found in the sera of 4 and 6 patients, respectively, of 18 who had familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). While anti-dsDNA antibodies were found only in patients with active disease, there was no correlation between the presence of anti-ssDNA antibodies and disease activity. The antibody titers were lower than those found in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus. This may be due in part to the fact that all the FMF patients were treated with colchicine.