To better understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients displaying innate immunity disorders such as familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), a team of eight French researchers surveyed 342 FMF patients on SARS-CoV-2 infection between March and May 2020.
The study focused on 27 FMF patients who had COVID symptoms.
Out of the 27 FMF-COVID⁺ patients:

• 7 patients were admitted in hospital (25%), displayed and six required oxygen therapy.
• 3 (11%) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and went to intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation and hemodialysis.
  • Two of the three patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome died (7%) but had respectively three and four comorbidities for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • The third patient, 40 years old, suffered from hypertension and obesity.
• Patient older than 65 years accounted for 17% of the whole cohort, 75% were hospitalized and required oxygen; one died.
• Out of the three AA amyloidosis patients, two were hospitalized and one died. No additional antiviral treatment was administrated.
• At the end of the first epidemic wave in Paris area, the five survivors after hospitalization went back home. None of them showed clinical signs of FMF attacks during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

To read the full summary of the study, please use this link >> Clinical course of COVID-19 in a cohort of 342 familial Mediterranean fever patients with a long-term treatment by colchicine in a French endemic area