[Ocular manifestations in Behçet's disease]

Abstract

Uveitis is the most common ocular symptom in Behçet's disease. It is considered as a diagnostic criterion of the disease. Anterior uveitis is always non granulomatous, and sometimes associated with hypopion. Posterior involvement may include vitritis, retinal infiltrates, sheathing of retinal veins, occlusive vasculitis, and macular edema. Behçet's disease is chronic, and characterized by a spontaneously relapsing and remitting course. Male patients with younger age at onset and worse visual acuity at presentation, have higher risk of visual loss over time. The main goals in the management of patients with Behçet's disease-associated uveitis are rapid suppression of intraocular inflammation, preservation of vision, prevention of recurrences, and achievement of remission sustained after discontinuation of treatment. New therapeutic strategies such as interferon alpha and TNF alpha blockers have dramatically improved the visual prognosis of patients with intraocular inflammation related to this chronic and potentially blinding condition.

Keywords: Anti-TNF alpha; Behçet's disease; Interferon alpha; Interféron alpha; Maladie de Behçet; Uveitis; Uvéite; Vascularite; Vasculitis.