Evaluation of clinical findings according to sex in 2313 Turkish patients with Behçet's disease.
BACKGROUND
Behçet's disease is a multisystem disease featuring mucocutaneous, ocular, articular, vascular, intestinal, urogenital, and neurologic involvement and occurs with a high prevalence in the Mediterranean including Turkey. Higher incidence of severe clinical course and systemic involvement is observed in male patients.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the influence of sex on the clinical course of Behçet' s disease.


METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated the clinical findings of 2313 Behçet patients followed up at the multidisciplinary Behçet's Disease Center at Ankara University.


RESULTS
The male/female patient ratio was 1.03. Oral aphthae was seen in all patients. In male Behçet patients, the prevalence of mucocutaneous lesions and systemic manifestations was as follows: 85.6% genital aphthae, 45.5% erythema nodosum, 59.5% papulopustular lesions, 17.5% thrombophlebitis, 38.1% ocular involvement, 11.3% articular involvement, 11.7% vascular involvement, 3.3% neurologic involvement, 1.4% gastrointestinal involvement, and 1.8% pulmonary involvement. In female Behçet patients, the prevalence of manifestations were as follows: 91% genital aphthae, 49.8% erythema nodosum, 48.3% papulopustular lesions, 3.5% thrombophlebitis, 19.8% ocular involvement, 11.8% articular involvement, 2.1% vascular involvement, 1.3% neurologic involvement, 1.4% gastrointestinal involvement, and 0.03% pulmonary involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Only genital aphthae and erythema nodosum were more frequent in females. On the other hand papulopustular eruptions, thrombophlebitis, ocular, neurologic, pulmonary and vascular involvement were more frequent in males. While female patients had the best prognosis, male patients had a worse overall prognosis than females.
Tursen
Umit
U
Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey. utursen@mersin.edu.tr
Gurler
Aysel
A
Boyvat
Ayse
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014456:Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology