Behcet's disease and IgA nephropathy

Rheumatol Int. 2012 Jul;32(7):2227-9. doi: 10.1007/s00296-011-2051-3. Epub 2011 Jul 23.

Abstract

Although Behçet's disease (BD) is a kind of systemic disease, renal involvement is rare, especially IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Renal manifestations in BD range from mild urinary abnormalities to glomerulonephritis with persistent renal failure, which includes minimal change disease, proliferative glomerulonephritis, rapidly crescentic glomerulonephritis, renal amyloidosis and IgA nephropathy. Amyloidosis seems to be the most common type of renal lesion in BD, and several cases of nephrotic syndrome secondary to amyloidosis have been documented. Co-occurrence of BD and IgA nephropathy has only been reported in only few cases. We describe two patients with the rare association of BD and IgAN. We suggested that it is important to periodically perform renal function assessment in patients with BD, through urinalysis and measurement of serum creatinine for detecting any abnormality and providing an early adequate treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Aspirin / therapeutic use
  • Behcet Syndrome / complications
  • Behcet Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Behcet Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Colchicine / therapeutic use
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Creatinine / urine
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Glomerulonephritis, IGA / complications
  • Glomerulonephritis, IGA / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Function Tests
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nifedipine / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Creatinine
  • Nifedipine
  • Aspirin
  • Colchicine