Current therapy for Behçet's disease

Am J Ther. 2002 Sep-Oct;9(5):465-70. doi: 10.1097/00045391-200209000-00015.

Abstract

Classified among the vasculitides, the clinical spectrum of Behçet's disease (BD) ranges from a mild mucocutaneous disease to a life-threatening systemic vasculitis, characterized by remissions and recurrences. The major morbidity is recurrent eye inflammation that may lead to blindness, but severe central nervous system, gastrointestinal, or vascular involvement may occur and might be fatal. In contradistinction to most other vasculitides, the venous system is commonly affected in BD. The treatment of BD is usually symptomatic and palliative. This includes topical steroids for orogenital ulcers, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents for joint involvement, and colchicine as prophylaxis against disease flares (although evidence that colchicine prevents recurrences of oral and genital ulcers is restricted to female patients). Immunosuppressives and cytotoxic agents are used for more severe involvement, and thalidomide and interferon have attracted attention in recent years.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Behcet Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Behcet Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Behcet Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Colchicine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Colchicine