Pulmonary involvement in Behçet's disease.
BACKGROUND
Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem vasculitis and pulmonary involvement in BD is reported to indicate poor prognosis and high mortality.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to report on patients with pulmonary involvement and to discuss pulmonary artery thrombus and small-sized vasculitis associated with BD, with respect to previously published cases.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with BD and pulmonary involvement were included in this study. Massive hemoptysis was observed in all patients having pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA).


RESULTS
Eleven patients had macroscopic pulmonary vascular disease (2 PAA, 3 PAA and thrombi and 6 only thrombi) and 3 patients had microscopic pulmonary vascular disease. The remaining patient had pulmonary cryptococcosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Data regarding treatment and outcomes of patients having BD-related pulmonary emboli/infarct and small-sized vasculitis are limited. Pulmonary vasculitis affects different levels of the pulmonary artery in BD and should be classified as macroscopic and microscopic vascular disease. 'Pulmonary artery thrombosis' should be used instead of 'pulmonary emboli'. Spiral CT angiography is the best radiological tool for evaluation of pulmonary problems in BD. Treatment of vasculitis should be based on the type of vascular disease and may vary among different types of vascular disease. Anticoagulation can be used in patients with microscopic vascular disease and nonaneurysmal macroscopic vascular disease. More studies are needed to clarify this issue.
Uzun
Oğuz
O
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey. oguzuzun67@yahoo.com.tr
Erkan
Levent
L
Akpolat
Ilkser
I
Findik
Serhat
S
Atici
Atilla Guven
AG
Akpolat
Tekin
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones