Registry of the Spanish network of Behçet's disease: a descriptive analysis of 496 patients

Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2014 Jul-Aug;32(4 Suppl 84):S33-9. Epub 2014 Jan 30.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the clinical features of a large cohort of 496 Spanish patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and to analyse if patient's sex influenced the initial and cumulated prevalence of disease manifestations.

Methods: Retrospective and descriptive study of 496 patients recruited in sixteen centres on the frame of the Spanish Registry of Behçet Disease Project Group. Demographic and clinical data are presented in addition to treatments and their related adverse effects. Clinical features at disease onset and during follow-up were compared according to the sex of the patients.

Results: On the whole series, female to male ratio was 1.2:1.0. Mean age at disease onset was 28.7±12.6 years (range 17-73). Oral ulcers were the most frequent initial manifestation presented in 52.0% of patients. During follow-up, eye inflammatory disease was recorded in 45.1% of patients; thrombosis in 19.7% and central nervous system involvement in 13.5%. Men had higher prevalence of ocular involvement and venous thrombosis (52.5% vs. 39.2%, p=0.004 and 26.3% vs. 9.6%, p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: Spanish patients with BD presented similar clinical characteristics as their counterpart in the same geographical area and other world regions. In addition, we confirmed that ocular and vascular involvements are more frequent in men than in women.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Arabs / statistics & numerical data
  • Behcet Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Behcet Syndrome / ethnology*
  • Behcet Syndrome / physiopathology*
  • Black People / statistics & numerical data
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Registries / statistics & numerical data
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Characteristics*
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents