Dr. Loay Zaben, a faculty member at the Faculty of Natural and Health Sciences at Alzaytona University of Science & Technology, has achieved another research milestone by publishing a new scientific paper in collaboration with specialized researchers and physicians from Palestinian academic and healthcare institutions. The research was published in Scientific Reports, part of the Nature Portfolio, which is ranked in the first quartile (Q1) of the global Scopus database.
The study examined the clinical and genetic characteristics of Palestinian children presenting with features consistent with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). It also investigated the extent of overlap between FMF and Periodic Fever, Aphthous Stomatitis, Pharyngitis, and Cervical Adenitis syndrome, commonly known as PFAPA. The aim was to describe the symptom patterns and genetic variations associated with these conditions and determine whether the participating children met the clinical classification criteria for PFAPA.
The study was based on a review of the medical records of 169 children at two Palestinian healthcare centers. Genetic testing results were available for 143 of these children. The researchers focused on genetic variants in the MEFV gene and their relationship to the clinical characteristics documented in the children.
The findings revealed that 32 children, representing 18.9% of the total participants, met the clinical classification criteria for PFAPA while also exhibiting features consistent with Familial Mediterranean Fever. Genetic testing further showed that the M694V variant was the most common, identified in 58.7% of the children for whom genetic test results were available.
The findings indicate an overlap in the clinical manifestations of the two conditions among the participating children. This highlights the importance of careful medical evaluation when dealing with cases of recurrent fever, rather than relying on symptoms alone or interpreting genetic test results separately from the overall clinical picture.
This study is particularly significant because it provides research data from a sample of Palestinian children and contributes to the growing body of scientific knowledge concerning recurrent fever and its associated clinical and genetic characteristics. It also reinforces the importance of research collaboration between Palestinian universities, healthcare institutions, and specialized physicians in addressing health issues of particular importance to the community.
To read the full research paper:
