Clinical Characteristics of Behçet Disease in an Egyptian Cohort

Abstract Aim of the work To study the clinical characteristics of Behcet’s disease (BD) in Egyptian patients. Patients and methods 150 BD patients were recruited from the Rheumatology and Internal medicine Department, Ain Shams University Hospitals. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Disease activity was assessed using Behcet Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF). Results 150 BD patients were included in this study. Their ages were 34.05 ± 9.28 years (14 – 66 years) and with disease duration range (1–20 years). There were 116 males (77.3%)and 34 females (22.7%), with male to female ratio of 3.4:1. The BDCAF was 4.44 ± 1.97 (2–10). The frequency of the clinical manifestations was oral ulcers in 86.7%, followed by genital ulcers in 82.0%, ocular involvement in 68.7%, vascular affection in 58.7%, articular manifestations in 32.7%, pathergy test was positive in 28.0%, skin manifestations in 26.0% (pustular lesions, folicilitis,erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum), neurological in 25.3% in the form of (CNS infarction in 12.7%,vasculitis in 6.7%, Cerebral sinus thrombosis in 4.0% and Seizures in 2.0%) and gastrointestinal in 7.3% in the form of (nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain). Conclusion In Egypt, there is a male predominance in BD patients as other areas in worldwide countries. The clinical characteristics are comparable to other studies. However, in Egypt the gastrointestinal manifestations showed the lowest recorded frequency