Venous lesions in Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVES

Review of venous lesions in Behçet's disease (BD).

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University Hospital, Turkey.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

One hundred and twenty nine patients with BD diagnosed and treated in our hospital during the last 10 years were reviewed. Fifty-two patients with 54 vascular lesions of Behçet's disease were identified.

MAIN

RESULTS

The incidence of isolated venous lesions in BD was 26%. Venous lesions developed after the initial diagnosis of BD in all patients within 10 years. Thirty-four (63%) of the 54 vascular lesions were venous and 15 (28%) were arterial. In 5 (9%) patients, both arterial and venous lesions were present. Deep vein thrombosis was the most frequent lesion (76%), followed by superficial thrombophlebitis (10%), superior vena cava thrombosis (10%) and inferior vena cava thrombosis (2%) and varicose veins (2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Venous lesions are not rare and affect the prognosis of BD. For this reason, venous lesions of BD should always be sought at follow-up of patients with BD.