Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of 197 Behçet Patients

• Published in: Ankara Ueniversitesi Tip Fakültesi mecmuasi 2021-04, Vol.74 (1), p.60-67
• Main Authors: Dinçer Rota, Didem, Tanacan, Efsun, İbiş, Oğulcan, Gündüz, Özge, Gülru Erdoğan, Fatma, Gürler, Aysel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autoimmune diseases; Inflammation; Vein & artery diseases
• ISSN: 1307-5608; 0365-8104; 1307-5608
• DOI: 10.4274/atfm.galenos.2021.03371

Objectives: We aimed to share our data on Behçet’s disease (BD) collected in the last fourteen years (demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients) and to update our knowledge on BD by comparing it with the results of similar studies conducted in our country. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted by examining the clinical and demographic characteristics of a total 197 patients, including 111 females and 86 males, who were admitted to the Ufuk University Dermatology and Venereal Diseases Polyclinic between January 2006 and January 2020 and who were diagnosed with BD according to the International BD Study Group Criteria (IBSG) and taken into the follow-up system in our BD Center. Results: One hundred eleven female and eighty-six male patients between the ages of 16 and 65 years were included in the study. The ratio of 10 men/women in patients was 0.77. The mean age of the patients at the time of presentation was 37.38±13.91 years, and the mean age at onset of disease was 27.07±9.77 years. Oral aphthae were observed in 100% of the patients because the IBSG criteria were used. Family history was positive in 20.8%. Genital ulcer was detected in 71%, erythema nodosum in 43.6% and papulopustular lesions in 54.3%. Pathergy test was positive in 42.6% of the patients. Eye involvement was detected in 38.8% of the patients, articular in 21.3%, vascular in 7.6%, gastrointestinal in 0.5% and pulmonary in 1.5%. Conclusion: BD is a multisystemic disease, morbidity of which can be reduced and mortality of which can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. Due to the high prevalence in our country and the fact that it is a disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach, the number of experienced centers that will deal with the disease in every aspect should be increased.