Vasculo Behcet's disease ; Risk factor ; Vessel ; male
Abstract
Background : Behcet's disease is a multisystemic disorder characterized by recurrent ulcers of the mouth and genitalia and relapsing iritis. The incidence of vascular involvement reported in the literature ranges from 7% to 29%. The most common cause of death in Behcet's disease is secondary to vascular complication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical feature and risk factors in vasculo Behcet's disease.
Methods : We investigated the age and sex distribution, the onset and type of vascular complication, the site of vessel involvement, laboratory findings and treatment for 45 cases with vascular complication among 440 cases with clinically proven Behcet's disease who were admitted at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, from January 1986 to March 1999.
Results : The incidence of vascular involvement was 10.2%. The incidence of vascular involvement was higher in male patients(p=0.001). Arterial involvement of female was less frequent than that of male(p=0.039). Mean time interval between the initial symptom and onset of the vascular complication in Behcet's disease was 9.9 year.
Conclusions : In this study, unlike studies from other countries, the incidence of vascular complication of Behcet's disease, specially the involvement of artery, was higher in male patients. Lipoprotein(a), as a risk factor for vascular complication of Behcet's disease, needs to be prospectively studied.