title: Evaluation of Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Behçet's Disease by Using Noninvasive Radiological Methods such as Intima-Media Thickness of the Carotid, Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index, Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring, and Their Relation to Serum Fetuin-A Levels: A Case-Control Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory systemic vasculitis. Evidence for increased atherosclerosis in BD has been observed. The relation between cardiovascular risk factors and increased atherosclerosis in patients with BD is still controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We performed this study to evaluate arterial stiffness in patients with BD by using noninvasive radiological methods such as carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI), coronary artery calcium score (CACaS), and their relation to serum fetuin-A levels, which was recently found to be important in vascular calcification.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 26 patients with BD and 25 control subjects. In all patients, the CIMT, ABPI, CACaS, and serum fetuin-A levels were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CIMT and CACaS were statistically higher and the ABPI was statistically lower in BD patients than in the control group. All p-values were <0.001. Positive correlations were found between the CACaS and CIMT, and negative correlations were found between the CACaS and ABPI. Although the values of fetuin-A were higher in BD, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.064). However, the correlations found between fetuin-A levels and CIMT and between fetuin-A levels and CACaS were significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CIMT, CACaS, and ABPI are all useful in detecting structural and functional vascular damage in BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Belkız
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uyar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aynur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Genç
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhittin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akyıldız
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Neslin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Şahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: İhsan Sami
authors.initials: İS
authors.lastname: Uyar
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saklamaz
keywords: Alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein; Ankle brachial index; Behçet's disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Carotid intima-media thickness