Ocular features of Behcet's disease: an international collaborative study

Br J Ophthalmol. 2007 Dec;91(12):1579-82. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2007.123554.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of ocular lesions in Behçet's disease in different countries.

Methods: A descriptive questionnaire survey was performed.

Results: 25 eye centres in 14 countries returned questionnaires on prevalent cases in 2006. Clinical data were analysed on 1,465 patients with ocular lesions. Recurrent oral aphthous ulcers were reported in 94.5%, skin lesions in 69.5% and genital ulcers in 61.4%. Most of the patients had bilateral and recurrent intraocular inflammation. Poor visual acuity was seen in 18.9% in women, but 24.8% in men (p<0.01). Panuveitis was seen more in men than in women (p<0.01). 23% of the patients had visual acuity equal to or worse than 20/200 at the final visit. The patients with poor vision were more frequently in India, Iran and Japan than in other countries (p<0.01).

Conclusions: We report the largest contemporary international case series of patients with ocular involvement in Behçet's disease. Panuveitis was significantly more frequent in men than women, and men tended to have a worse visual prognosis. There were some differences in the clinical pattern of Behçet's disease in different countries. Despite modern treatment, the disease still carries a poor visual prognosis with one-quarter of the patients blind.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Africa, Northern / epidemiology
  • Age of Onset
  • Aged
  • Asia, Eastern / epidemiology
  • Asia, Western / epidemiology
  • Behcet Syndrome / complications*
  • Blindness / etiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Eye Diseases / complications
  • Eye Diseases / epidemiology
  • Eye Diseases / etiology*
  • Eye Diseases / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Inflammation / classification
  • Inflammation / epidemiology
  • Inflammation / etiology
  • Inflammation / physiopathology
  • Internationality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Panuveitis / epidemiology
  • Panuveitis / etiology
  • Panuveitis / physiopathology
  • Prognosis
  • Sex Distribution
  • Visual Acuity