title: A new Mucocutaneous Activity Index for Behçet's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patient-reported outcomes are increasingly accepted to be major domains in chronic disorders. The aim of this study was to develop a patient-derived disease activity index in Beh-çet's disease (BD).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-seven BD patients (M/F: 69/108) were included in the study. Data were collected by clinical examination and a questionnaire regarding a Mucocutaneous Index (MI) with genital ulcer activity (GI), erythema nodosum activity (EI) and the composite index (CI) for oral ulcers, as subscales of it. Self-reported treatment evaluation was carried out as criterion validity. Patients whose symptoms completely disappeared or decreased significantly, were categorised as 'improved group', others were classified as 'non-improved group'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the study group, 79.7% of the patients (n=141) were active, whereas 20.3% were inactive (n=36). Scores of CI, GI, EI and MI score were 0±0 in inactive ones, whereas scores were 5.65±2.36 for CI, 0.81±2.34 for GI, 0.91±2.35 for EI and 6.25±5.1 for MI in actives (p=0.000 for all). MI score was significantly higher in 'non-improved group' (65.5%) compared to 'improved group' (34.5%) (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mucocutaneous activity index may help decision-making process for treatment strategies in BD patients.
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health Management, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. gonca.mumcu@gmail.com.
authors: Gonca
authors: G
authors: Mumcu
authors: Nevsun
authors: N
authors: Inanc
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Taze
authors: Tulin
authors: T
authors: Ergun
authors: Haner
authors: H
authors: Direskeneli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*