title: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Behçet's Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by orogenital ulcers, skin and ocular lesions, in addition to articular, vascular, and neurologic symptoms. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), can also occur in BD patients secondary to inflammation in the connective tissues, vessels, and tendons, as well as nerve involvement in BD itself. However, reports of patients who have CTS in BD are rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of CTS in BD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of the medical records of 1750 BD patients, and 14 (0.8%) BD patients who were diagnosed with CTS was performed at the BD Specialty Clinic of Severance Hospital. Patient demographics, disease activity/severity for both diseases, and the clinical characteristics of CTS in BD were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 14 BD patients with CTS were women. Twelve patients (85.7%) were diagnosed with active BD. The CTS was mild in 8 patients (57.2%), moderate in 3 patients (21.4%), and severe in 3 patients (21.4%). Ten patients (71.4%) had BD prior to the diagnosis of CTS, and these 10 patients all had active BD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CTS can occur as a result of the inflammation associated with BD and can also be the presenting symptom of nerve involvement in BD. CTS can also develop as the initial symptom of BD. Therefore, a higher degree of suspicion should be maintained for CTS in patients with BD and vice versa; however, the exact relationship is uncertain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jungsoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Suhyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Do Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Zhenlong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.; Department of Dermatology, Catholic Kwandong University, International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon, Korea. dbang@ish.or.kr.
authors.forename: Dongsik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution
keywords: Behçet's disease; carpal tunnel syndrome