title: Treatment of venous thrombosis associated with Behcet's disease: immunosuppressive therapy alone versus immunosuppressive therapy plus anticoagulation.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy alone with that of combination therapy involving immunosuppressants and anticoagulation for the treatment of venous thrombosis in Behcet's disease (BD). A retrospective analysis was made of 37 patients with venous thrombosis in BD. BD patients with venous thrombosis were divided into three groups: one group (N = 16) received immunosuppressive therapy alone, another group (N = 17) received immunosuppressant and anticoagulation combination therapy, and the third group (N = 4) received anticoagulation therapy only. Clinical and laboratory parameters and the recurrence of venous thrombosis were assessed. Venous thrombosis in BD appeared to have a more diffuse pattern than idiopathic type and a predilection for lower limbs. The most commonly involved sites were the superficial and common femoral veins. Recurrence of venous thrombosis occurred in two cases in the immunosuppressant group (12.5%), one case in the combination therapy group (5.9%), and three cases in the anticoagulant group (75%). No significant difference was found between recurrence in the immunosuppressant and combination therapy groups. Acute phase reactants were elevated in all six patients at the time of venous thrombosis recurrence. Our study suggests that immunosuppressive therapy is essential and that anticoagulation therapy might not be required for the treatment of deep venous thrombosis associated with BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangnam-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joong Kyong
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: You Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chan Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Eun-Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Hoon-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cha
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000925:Anticoagulants; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014859:Warfarin