Behcet's disease: Experience in a Colombian cohort

Ana Milena Toro Giraldo, Luis Fernando Pinto Peñaranda, Carlos Jaime Velásquez Franco, José Luis Torres Grajales, Dora Liliana Candia Zúñiga, Javier Darío Márquez Hernández

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle in an indexed scientific journalpeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic vasculitis of unknown cause. It is characterized by exacerbations and remissions of unpredictable duration. The clinical findings include oral and genital aphtaes, arthritis, cutaneous lesions, ocular, gastrointestinal and neurological manifestations. In our environment, the natural course, activity and severity of BD is not fully known. Objectives the purpose of this research is to describe the clinical spectrum, activity and severity of BD in a group of Colombian patients. Methods a longitudinal, observational, descriptive and prospective study was realized in a group of patients with BD, who were evaluated and followed for the rheumatology department at the Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín, Colombia. Results 20 patients (15 women and 5 men) were found, with an average of 42.1 ± 11.2 years old at diagnosis. The most common clinical manifestations were the oral (95%) and genital (75%) ulcers, followed by cutaneous (60%), ocular (55%), articular (45%), gastrointestinal (40%), vascular (15%) and neurological (15%) involvement. The recurrent oral ulcers were the most common onset manifestation. The mean duration between the onset symptom and the fulfillment of diagnostic criteria was 4.45 ± 4.19 years. 50% patients were classified as having moderate disease and 35% as having severe disease. Conclusions BD is an underdiagnosed disease in our environment. The mucocutaneous ulcers represent the main clinical finding and can precede other manifestations for a long time, causing a delay in diagnosis and allowing an aggressive behavior.

Translated title of the contributionEnfermedad de Behcet: experiencia en una cohorte de pacientes colombianos
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)33-45
Number of pages13
JournalRevista Colombiana de Reumatologia
Volume16
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2009
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2009 Asociación Colombiana de Reumatología

Keywords

  • Behcet's disease
  • oral manifestation
  • skin manifestations
  • vasculitis

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