title: Changing clinical expression of Behçet disease in Korea during three decades (1983-2012): chronological analysis of 3674 hospital-based patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behçet disease (BD) is a chronic multisystemic vasculitis affecting blood vessels of any calibre or type. Recent evidence suggests that the clinical expression of BD is lessening.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the clinical expression of BD in Korea during the past three decades via a large patient registry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Initial manifestations of patients with BD seen at a tertiary referral hospital between 1983 and 2012 were reviewed retrospectively, stratifying patients by decade to compare epidemiological data and cardinal symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 3674 patients with BD were reviewed. Significant proportional declines occurred with respect to male sex, complete type BD and major presenting features (genital ulcers, ocular involvement and skin lesions), whereas the mean patient age rose progressively, as did the frequencies of joint, gastrointestinal and central nervous system manifestations (all P < 0·0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the past three decades, clinical expression of BD in Korea has changed, resulting in fewer instances of complete type disease, declining male propensity, and shifting patterns of organ involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Korea.
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult