Is there a relation between clinical disease activity and acute phase response in Behcet's disease?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible relation between clinical disease activity determined by a scale validated and most widely used acute phase response parameters in patients with Behcet's Disease (BD). One hundred patients with BD were included in this study. The demographic properties including age, sex, and disease durations were recorded. BD Current Activity Form (BDCAF), which scores the history of clinical features that have been present during the four weeks prior to the day of assessment, was used for the evaluation of disease activity. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were evaluated as acute phase response. The independent samples t test and Pearson's correlation test were performed for the statistical analysis. There were 60 male and 40 female patients with an age range of 19-51 years. The disease durations of the patients were between 12 and 240 months. In the comparison of the laboratory parameters of the patients with or without the components of BDCAF, we found significantly higher levels of ESR and CRP in patients with erythema and arthralgia-arthritis versus without these involvements. There were significant positive correlations between ESR-CRP levels and patient's perception of disease activity (P = 0.012 and P < 0.05, respectively), clinician's overall perception of disease activity (P < 0.005), and total BDCAF score (P = 0.008 and P < 0.000, respectively). In conclusion, the presence of a newly-developed erythema nodosum, superficial thrombophlebitis, or joint involvement may be associated with higher levels of ESR and CRP. Also, correlations between these indices and general disease activity scores may contribute the overall disease activity perception in BD.