Behçet's disease and renal failure.
BACKGROUND
The aims of this study were (i) to investigate the prevalence of Behçet's disease (BD) among dialysis patients in Turkey, (ii) to report the clinical characteristics of patients with BD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), (iii) to evaluate the effect of ESRD on course and activity of BD and (iv) to analyse the published data about BD and renal failure.


METHODS
A questionnaire investigating BD among dialysis patients was submitted to 350 dialysis centres and we obtained the data for 20 596 patients from 331 dialysis centres. We submitted a second questionnaire regarding clinical characteristics of the patients with BD and ESRD. The PubMed and Web of Science databases were used for the analysis of BD and renal failure.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients with BD were determined and the prevalence of BD was 0.07% among 20 596 dialysis patients in Turkey. None of the patients has had a new manifestation of BD after initiation of haemodialysis treatment. The analysis of previous data about renal BD demonstrated 67 patients with renal failure.


CONCLUSIONS
The most common cause of renal failure in BD is amyloidosis. Routine urine analysis and measurement of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels are needed for early diagnosis. Vascular access-related problems are common and the activity of BD appears to decrease in patients with ESRD after initiation of haemodialysis.
Akpolat
Tekin
T
Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Nefroloji Bilim Dali, Samsun 55139, Turkey. ilksertekin@superonline.com
Diri
Banu
B
Oğuz
Yusuf
Y
Yilmaz
Emin
E
Yavuz
Mahmut
M
Dilek
Melda
M
D000328:Adult; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology