Chronicle of a death foretold: a case of catastrophic vascular Behcet's disease

Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Mar;26(3):457-9. doi: 10.1007/s10067-005-0166-1. Epub 2006 Jun 8.

Abstract

A 20-year-old man with Behcet's disease characterized by recurrent arterial aneurysms presented with a new aortic root aneurysm. This patient previously had aneurysms of the coronary arteries and vein, as well as ruptured renal artery aneurysm. Chronic maintenance immunosuppressive therapy was recommended due to the catastrophic nature of the disease, which the patient refused to take. The patient died shortly after admission. This case demonstrates the unique catastrophic natural history of vascular Behcet's disease with recurrent life-threatening arterial events, and this case stresses the therapeutic dilemma of maintenance immunosuppressive therapy in selected patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aortic Aneurysm / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Aneurysm / pathology*
  • Behcet Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Behcet Syndrome / pathology*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Radiography
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Treatment Refusal*

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents