[Behçet's disease associated with peripheral neuropathy].
BACKGROUND
The involvement of the peripheral nervous system in Behçet's disease is very rare.


METHODS
We report a case of a 47-year-old man with a six-year history of Behçet's disease and a two-year history of peripheral nervous system involvement. This patient presented with paraesthesia and weakness of the upper and lower limbs, diarrhea and erectile dysfunction. The electromyogram showed evidence of an axonal sensorimotor neuropathy and the nerve biopsy showed an axonal neuropathy. Routine blood tests were normal, there was no increase of serum creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransfease or lactate dehydrogenase and no signs of hyperthyroidism. Fibroscopy and colonoscopy showed no signs of entero-Behçet. The patient was treated with prednisone, cyclophosphamide and carbamazepine with an improvement of paraesthesia.


CONCLUSIONS
The mechanism of the peripheral neuropathy in Behçet's disease is still unknown, it might be due to vasculitis of the vasa nervorum or to the side effects of colchicine. Our report is particular by the association of sensorimotor and autonomic involvement of peripheral neuropathy in a patient with Behçet's disease.
Ben Ghorbel
I
I
Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital La Rabta, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie. benghorbelimed@yahoo.com
Ibnelhadj
Z
Z
Zouari
M
M
Nagi
S
S
Khanfir
M
M
Hentati
F
F
Houman
M H
MH
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004576:Electromyography; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D002220:Carbamazepine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone