Recurrent versus non-recurrent or no eye involvement in Behcet's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to note the clinical features of patients with Behçet's disease who did not show recurrent episodes of eye involvement during long-term follow-up.


METHODS
A retrospective review was made of 70 Japanese patients with Behçet's disease who were seen during a 23-year period from 1974 to 1996 and followed for five or more years at Okayama University Hospital. The 70 patients were divided into three groups: 36 patients with recurrent episodes of eye involvement; 13 patients with non-recurrent one-time only eye involvement; and 21 patients with no eye involvement at all during a follow-up period of five or more years. Clinical features were compared between these three groups.


RESULTS
Female sex (p = 0.0263, chi-square test), young age at the onset (p = 0.0322, Kruskal-Wallis test), and genital ulceration (p = 0.0003, chi-square test) were significantly associated with the non-recurrent or no eye involvement patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Female patients with onset at a young age and who show the three signs of skin lesions and oral and genital ulcerations may have non-recurrent one-time only or no eye involvement at follow-up. A better visual prognosis can be expected for these patients.
Matsuo
Toshihiko
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry Okayama City Japan. matsuot@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
Itami
Masako
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014456:Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis