title: Investigating the link between ischemic heart disease and Behcet's disease: A cross-sectional analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behcet's disease (BD) is a multi-systemic chronic inflammatory disorder which involves the vasculature tree of all sizes. The current study's aim was to examine the association between BD and the development of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and its potential impact as a cardiovascular risk factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted as a case-control study utilizing the database of Clalit Health Services. The proportion of IHD was compared between patients diagnosed with BD and age- and gender-matched controls. Univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square and Student t-test and a multivariable analysis was performed using a logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  871 BD patients and 4439 age- and gender-matched controls were included in this study. The proportion of IHD amongst BD patients was increased in comparison with controls (10.9% vs. 7.52% respectively, p-value=0.001). BD was associated with IHD on multivariable analysis (odds ratio 1.485, 95% confidence interval 1.106-1.982). When the comparison between BD patients with IHD and controls with IHD was stratified according to risk factors, age younger than 70 and male gender were both found to be significantly elevated in the BD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BD patients have an increased proportion of IHD in comparison with matched controls. Our findings demonstrate that the population of BD patients with IHD has a higher proportion of younger males in comparison with controls with IHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Yarden
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yavne
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiosano
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Abdulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watad
authors.affiliation: Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services Tel Aviv, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Comaneshter
authors.affiliation: Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services Tel Aviv, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Arnon D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. Electronic address: howard.amital@sheba.health.gov.il.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amital
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057225:Data Mining / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors