title: Influence of age at diagnosis and sex on clinical course and long-term prognosis of intestinal Behcet's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine the influence of age at diagnosis and sex on the clinical course and long-term prognosis of intestinal Behcet's disease (BD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical records of 291 patients with intestinal BD who underwent regular follow-up at a single tertiary academic medical center. The patients were divided into two groups according to their age at diagnosis of intestinal BD or sex. The cumulative probabilities of operation, admission, corticosteroid use, and immunosuppressant use after diagnosis were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and a log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 291 patients, 154 (52.9%) were diagnosed with intestinal BD when younger than 40 years old, and 132 (45.4%) were male. Younger age at diagnosis was associated with a higher leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and disease activity index for intestinal BD, and with a greater prevalence of volcano-shaped ulcers and a definite diagnostic subtype. Moreover, the cumulative probabilities of operation, admission, and corticosteroid use were significantly higher in the younger group. Male sex was associated with a higher CRP level and a greater prevalence of volcano-shaped ulcers. However, there were no significant differences in cumulative probabilities of operation, admission, corticosteroid use, and immunosuppressant use according to sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In intestinal BD, younger age at diagnosis is associated with a more severe clinical course and a poorer prognosis. However, although some clinical manifestations at initial diagnosis tend to be more severe in male patients, clinical outcomes do not differ significantly according to sex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sung Pil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Tae Il
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents