[Behçet's disease associated with Crohn's disease].
BACKGROUND
The association of Behçet's disease and of Crohn's disease is exceptional, and raises a nosological problem.


METHODS
A 24 year-old female developed since 1996 chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, recurrent oral and genital ulcer and polyarthralgia. Endoscopic colonoscopy examination showed a diffuse colitis. Histological examination revealed epitheloid granuloma without vasculitis compatible with a Crohn's disease. The patient was treated with oral prednisone (1mg/kg/day). In November 1998, she was admitted for diarrhea. Many pseudofolliculitis lesions, uveitis and positive pathergy test were noted. The HLA was B 51. The diagnosis of Crohn's disease associated with Behçet's disease was made. She was treated with high doses of prednisone (1mg/kg/day and 6 monthly intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide). Skin lesions and diarrhea improved within few days, and cleared completely within five months. Presently, the patient remains clinically free of disease.


CONCLUSIONS
While being of different pathogenic origin, Behçet's disease and Crohn's disease may coexist within one and the same patient and cause diagnostic and therapeutic problems.
Houman
H
H
Service de Médecine Interne, Tunis, Tunisie, France. houman.habib@rns.tn
Ben Dahmen
F
F
Ben Ghorbel
I
I
Chouaib
S
S
Lamloum
M
M
Kchir
N
N
Ben Ammar
A
A
Miled
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone