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Clinical features

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The clinical features of Behcet's disease comprise (1,2):

  • arthritis: occurs in 45% of cases, frequently the presenting feature long before other clinical manifestations (2)
    • polyarthritis
    • polyarthralgia of large joints – knees and ankles most involved
  • mucocutaneous:
    • painful oral, vulval, vaginal, penile and scrotal ulcers which heal by scarring
    • erythema nodosum
    • pseudofolliculitis, papulopustular lesions
    • acneiform nodules
  • ocular:
    • iridocyclitis
    • chronic, relapsing bilateral non-granulomatous uveitis
      • may involve anterior, posterior or both (panuveitis)
    • hypopyon
    • optic atrophy
    • cataract
    • glaucoma
    • retinal detachment
  • neurologic:
    • multiple sclerosis and parkinsonism-like disorders
    • dementia
    • meningoencephalitis and brainstem problems
    • Neurobehcet’s disease – parenchymal lesion (2)
  • others:
    • venous thrombosis
    • thrombophlebitis
    • abdominal pain – ileocecal region is most commonly affected
    • nausea, anorexia and diarrhoea
    • haemoptysis

Reference:

  1. Nair JR, Moots RJ. Behcet’s disease. Clin Med (Lond). 2017 Feb;17(1):71-77. Doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.17-1-71. PMID: 28148585; PMCID: PMC6297594.
  2. Greco A, De Virgilio A, Ralli M, Ciofalo A, Mancini P, Attanasio G, de Vincentiis M, Lambiase A. Behçet's disease: New insights into pathophysiology, clinical features and treatment options. Autoimmun Rev. 2018 Jun;17(6):567-575.

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