title: Value of certain echocardiographic findings in the initial suspicion of Behçet's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the echocardiographic findings detected as first manifestations of Behçet's disease (BD) and compare these findings with those detected in established cases of BD receiving regular medical treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients were studied. Group 1 comprised 41 patients with BD on regular medical treatment. Group 2 comprised 5 previously healthy patients who presented to the cardiology department because of cardiac symptoms and were diagnosed in retrospect during hospitalization as BD. Thirty-two age- and sex-matched individuals served as control subjects (control group). All patients and controls underwent complete M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler transthoracic echocardiographic examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 41 treated patients with BD (mean age: 32 ± 8 years, 90% males, mean duration since diagnosis: 14.5 years), only 1 patient was found to have severe aortic regurgitation secondary to aortic root dilation. On the other hand, the 5 previously healthy patients who presented with cardiac symptoms (mean age: 24 ± 6 years, all males) had significant cardiac involvement and evident echocardiographic findings (P < 0.001). Four cases had intracardiac masses: 3 in the right atrium (RA), 1 in the right ventricle (RV), while the last patient had pericardial effusion (PE). All these patients were diagnosed in retrospect as BD. The RA masses disappeared on medical therapy, while the RV mass was surgically excised and proved to be multiple thrombi histopathologically. The patient with PE had recurrent attacks of massive effusion so a pericardial window was performed surgically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of BD might be initially suspected by the cardiologists based on certain echocardiographic findings, namely the presence of right-sided masses. Diagnosis of BD in such patients has important therapeutic implications and accordingly prognostic value.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Medicine Department, Cairo University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Farouk
authors.forename: Karim El
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Chilali
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: Basma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sakr
authors.forename: Hania
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salah
authors.forename: Geilan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sorour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Behçet's disease; aortic regurgitation; dilated aortic root; echocardiography; intracardiac masses