Background: This study aimed to evaluate physical activity levels of children with Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), and to compare these levels with age- and sex-matched healthy peers. A secondary aim was to investigate associations between physical activity, acute phase reactants (APRs), and disease activity scores. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled FMF patients aged 9–14 years and matched healthy controls. Disease activity was assessed using Pras scores, Auto-Inflammatory Diseases Activity Index (AIDAI), and International Severity Scoring System for FMF (ISSF). Physical activity was evaluated weekly using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) over three months. Correlations of PAQ-C scores with APRs and disease activity parameters were analyzed at multiple time points, and repeated-measures analyses were performed. Results: Overall, 140 participants were included (70 in control group and 70 in patient group). The study group had significantly lower PAQ-C scores than controls (2.75±0.71 vs . 3.37±0.54; p <0.001). Patients with exercise-related leg pain had significantly lower PAQ-C scores than those without pain (2.54±0.60 vs . 2.99±0.76; p =0.007). A significant negative correlation was found between age and PAQ-C scores in the study group ( r =–0.377, p =0.001). PAQ-C scores were negatively correlated with ISSF scores (r =-0.278, p =0.020 and r =−0.288, p =0.016) and the AIDAI scores ( r =−0.305, p =0.010 and r =−0.396, p <0.001) at first and the third months. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that children with FMF have reduced physical activity, particularly those with exercise-induced leg pain. The decline with age may reflect increased disease awareness, emphasizing the need for monitoring and promoting safe physical engagement in disease management.
Aydin et al. (2026) studied this question.