title: [Characteristics of ocular involvement in Behçet disease in Tunisia: Monocentric study and review of literature].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behçet's disease is a multisystemic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, skin lesions and uveitis. The diagnosis of Behçet's disease is based on clinical criteria. The etiology of the disease is unknown but the wide variations of ethnic prevalence and of the prevalence in the same ethnic group in different geographic areas indicate environmental triggering of a genetically determined disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of the medical charts of 150 Behçet's disease patients seen in our internal medicine department between 1995 and 2010 was undertaken. Patients with confirmed ocular involvement were analyzed and compared with those without ocular involvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 150 medical charts studied, 85 patients were included in the study. Thirty-three patients (38.5%) had ocular involvement. Mean age at ocular BD diagnosis onset were 35.3. Male to female ratio was 5.6. Ocular involvement was bilateral in 26 patients (78.8%). Uveitis was the most common ocular lesion (n=31 patients, 93.9%). Panuveitis was the most common anatomical location (n=21, 63.6%). The comparison of patients treated for BD with or without ocular involvement showed a statistically significant association between ocular and neurological manifestations (p=0.03). All patients with ocular involvement were treated with corticosteroids. Immunosuppressive (IS) treatments were used in 28 patients (84.8%). Cyclophosphamide was the most used as first-line treatment (71.4%). Cyclophosphamide relayed by azathioprine was the most adopted protocol (28.5%). In case of resistance or relapse and depending on the other manifestations of the BD, the IS used in first intention was replaced by another one. Seven of the 33 patients had received treatment with infliximab (IFX) after failure of other therapeutic lines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ocular prognosis in the BD can be improved by early treatment and regular monitoring. It is important to adjust the therapeutic protocol to the anatomic form, to the severity of uveitis and to the extra-ocular manifestations associated.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ajili
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie. Electronic address: syrinebellakhal@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellakhal
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ben Abdelhafidh
authors.affiliation: Département d'épidémiologie, faculté de médecine de Tunis, 15, rue Djebal-Lakhdar, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mrabet
authors.affiliation: Département d'épidémiologie, faculté de médecine de Tunis, 15, rue Djebal-Lakhdar, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zouari
authors.affiliation: Service d'ophtalmologie, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maalej
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Louzir
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laabidi
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, hôpital militaire de Tunis, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Othmani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Behçet's disease; Blindness; Corticosteroids; Corticothérapie; Cécité; Immunosuppressive treatment; Immunosupresseur; Maladie de Behçet; Uveitis; Uvéite