Umit Tursen1, Aysel Gurler, Ayse Boyvat. 1. Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey. utursen@mersin.edu.tr
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease is a multisystem disease featuring mucocutaneous, ocular, articular, vascular, intestinal, urogenital, and neurologic involvement and occurs with a high prevalence in the Mediterranean including Turkey. Higher incidence of severe clinical course and systemic involvement is observed in male patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of sex on the clinical course of Behçet' s disease. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical findings of 2313 Behçet patients followed up at the multidisciplinary Behçet's Disease Center at Ankara University. RESULTS: The male/female patient ratio was 1.03. Oral aphthae was seen in all patients. In male Behçet patients, the prevalence of mucocutaneous lesions and systemic manifestations was as follows: 85.6% genital aphthae, 45.5% erythema nodosum, 59.5% papulopustular lesions, 17.5% thrombophlebitis, 38.1% ocular involvement, 11.3% articular involvement, 11.7% vascular involvement, 3.3% neurologic involvement, 1.4% gastrointestinal involvement, and 1.8% pulmonary involvement. In female Behçet patients, the prevalence of manifestations were as follows: 91% genital aphthae, 49.8% erythema nodosum, 48.3% papulopustular lesions, 3.5% thrombophlebitis, 19.8% ocular involvement, 11.8% articular involvement, 2.1% vascular involvement, 1.3% neurologic involvement, 1.4% gastrointestinal involvement, and 0.03% pulmonary involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Only genital aphthae and erythema nodosum were more frequent in females. On the other hand papulopustular eruptions, thrombophlebitis, ocular, neurologic, pulmonary and vascular involvement were more frequent in males. While female patients had the best prognosis, male patients had a worse overall prognosis than females.
BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease is a multisystem disease featuring mucocutaneous, ocular, articular, vascular, intestinal, urogenital, and neurologic involvement and occurs with a high prevalence in the Mediterranean including Turkey. Higher incidence of severe clinical course and systemic involvement is observed in male patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of sex on the clinical course of Behçet' s disease. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical findings of 2313 Behçet patients followed up at the multidisciplinary Behçet's Disease Center at Ankara University. RESULTS: The male/female patient ratio was 1.03. Oral aphthae was seen in all patients. In male Behçet patients, the prevalence of mucocutaneous lesions and systemic manifestations was as follows: 85.6% genital aphthae, 45.5% erythema nodosum, 59.5% papulopustular lesions, 17.5% thrombophlebitis, 38.1% ocular involvement, 11.3% articular involvement, 11.7% vascular involvement, 3.3% neurologic involvement, 1.4% gastrointestinal involvement, and 1.8% pulmonary involvement. In female Behçet patients, the prevalence of manifestations were as follows: 91% genital aphthae, 49.8% erythema nodosum, 48.3% papulopustular lesions, 3.5% thrombophlebitis, 19.8% ocular involvement, 11.8% articular involvement, 2.1% vascular involvement, 1.3% neurologic involvement, 1.4% gastrointestinal involvement, and 0.03% pulmonary involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Only genital aphthae and erythema nodosum were more frequent in females. On the other hand papulopustular eruptions, thrombophlebitis, ocular, neurologic, pulmonary and vascular involvement were more frequent in males. While female patients had the best prognosis, male patients had a worse overall prognosis than females.
Authors: Sang Yub Lee; Jongmin Lee; Hui Joong Lee; Sun Ju Choi; Myong Hun Hahm; Sung Won Yoon Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2013-10-10 Impact factor: 2.357