Arthritis and the Jewish Population
Dr. Michael Wald (Board Certified Nutritionist), The Blood Detective
914-242-8844 / www.intmedny.com /www.blooddetective.com
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of febrile peritonitis, pleuritis and synovitis. Arthritis is a common and important feature of FMF. Since FMF can be diagnosed by a simple DNA mutation analysis, all Jewish people with arthritis should be tested for FMF in order to prevent the complications (amyloidosis and protracted arthritis).
Mediterranean Fever (aka MEFV), and particularly the E148Q mutation that create the genetic susceptibility for MEFV, is an independent modifier of the clinical manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis. This means that a Jewish person with this gene mutation (E148Q) is more likely to develop Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Ankylosing Spondylitis (aka AS), a form of autoimmune arthritis, involves genes known as the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), that includes HLA-B27. The presence of this gene in the Jewish population increases the chances of the individual to developing AS.