Arthropathy in Behçet's disease.
We analyzed the incidence, clinical features, and the long-term sequelae of arthropathy in 84 patients with Behçet's disease. After a mean disease duration of 44.7 months, 59 patients (70%) had at least 1 episode of arthropathy. Of these, arthropathy was present at the time of diagnosis in the majority of patients (75%). In the remainder, arthropathy developed 4 to 80 months (mean 29) after the diagnosis of Behçet's disease. Female patients were significantly more likely to have arthropathy than male patients (89 versus 56%, p = 0.006). The pattern of involvement was oligoarticular in 75%, monoarticular in 23%, and polyarticular in 2% of these patients. The most commonly involved site was the knee, followed by the ankle and the wrist. Radiologic examination of the involved site was normal in 80% of the patients. After a mean duration of arthropathy of 43.2 months, by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, the functional class of the arthropathy was I-II in 88%, and III-IV in 12%. In conclusion arthropathy is a fairly common manifestation in patients with Behçet's disease, but crippling arthritis is relatively rare.
Kim
H A
HA
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Choi
K W
KW
Song
Y W
YW
D000328:Adult; D001168:Arthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires