title: The arthritis of Behçet's disease: a prospective study.
abstract: A prospective study of arthritis was performed in 47 patients with Behçet's disease followed up over a 47-month period (mean 19.25 months, SD 14.09). These patients had a total of 80 episodes of arthritis, which were analysed for joint distribution and symmetry, in 56 of which the duration could also be determined. Attacks were oligoarticular, affecting up to 4 joints per patient, 54 (68%) being monoarticular. Knees, ankles, and wrists were the most commonly involved joints. Involvement of spinal, shoulder, hip, and sacroiliac joints was rare. The arthritis was usually not deforming and subacute; 82% (46/56) of the attacks lasted for 2 months or less and 18% (10/56) for between 3 months and 4 years. The ESR was moderately elevated during the attacks. In 32 specimens the synovial fluid was inflammatory (cell count 14.7 +/- 10.1 x 10(9)/l), but in 19 (59%) a good mucin clot formed. Synovial biopsy in 12 patients revealed superficial ulceration, paucity of plasma cells, and in 5 instances lymphoid follicle formation.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001175:Arthrography; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C035270:HLA-B5 antigen