Incidence of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) mutations among children of Mediterranean extraction with functional abdominal pain

Of 59 Sephardic Jewish and Arab children in whom functional abdominal pain was diagnosed, we found that 20% were homozygote for the familial Mediterra nean fever gene. Inclusion of genetic screening for familial Mediterranean fever may be advisable in the investigation of recurrent abdominal pain amo ng children of Mediterranean extraction.