Comparisons of Clinical Features in Japanese Patients with Behçet's Uveitis Treated in the 1990s and the 2000s.

Purpose: We investigated clinical characteristics of ocular Behcet's disease (BD) patients treated in the 1990s and the 2000s. Methods: We retrospectively examined records of 68 newly arrived patients with ocular BD followed for more than 4 months during the 2000s and compared to those of 107 patients during the 1990s. Patient profiles, ocular and systemic symptoms, frequency of ocular attacks, BD ocular attack score 24-6 months (BOS24-6M), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and immunomodulatory treatment were noted. Results: Clinical characteristics in the 2000s showed increases in iridocyclitis type, intestinal-, vasculo-, and neuro-BD cases, oral corticosteroid, methotrexate, and infliximab therapy usage, cataract and glaucoma surgery, and pseudophakia, and decreases in BOS24-6M and cyclophosphamide usage. BCVA of 20/30 or better at the final visit was slightly increased in the 2000s. Conclusions: Milder ocular BD tendency was seen in cases in the 2000s, whereas the incidence of special type of BD might be increasing.