title: Update on the Medical Management of Gastrointestinal Behçet's Disease.
abstract: Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology mainly defined by recurrent oral aphthosis, genital ulcers, and chronic relapsing bilateral uveitis, all of which represent the "stigmata" of disease. However, many other organs including the vascular, neurological, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal systems can be affected. The gastrointestinal involvement in Behçet's disease (GIBD), along with the neurological and vascular ones, represents the most feared clinical manifestation of BD and shares many symptoms with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Consequently, the differential diagnosis is often a daunting task, albeit the presence of typical endoscopic and pathologic findings may be a valuable aid to the exact diagnosis. To date, there are no standardized medical treatments for GIBD; therefore therapy should be tailored to the single patient and based on the severity of the clinical features and their complications. This work provides a digest of all current experience and evidence about pharmacological agents suggested by the medical literature as having a potential role for managing the dreadful features of GIBD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Rheumatology Unit, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4524-9566
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lopalco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatrics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7032-7779
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rigante
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Rheumatology Unit, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Venerito
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4515-7741
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery Department, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8284-5127
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Rheumatology Unit, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lapadula
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galeazzi
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frediani
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Rheumatology Unit, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Florenzo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iannone
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7352-1275
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cantarini
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D019804:Mesalamine; D013792:Thalidomide