Ocular manifestations of Behçet's disease in Jordanian patients

Abstract

Purpose: To study the prevalence, manifestations and severity of ocular involvement of Behçet's disease in Jordanian patients.

Methods: The study population consisted of 43 patients diagnosed to have Behçet's disease through Rheumatologist's examinations conducted at Jordan University Hospital between January 2002 and July 2009. The sample involved patients who displayed ocular manifestations. This included 18 patients; 12 males and 6 females with a mean age of 35 years (SD = 17.26). Ophthalmological examinations and retrospective analysis of medical files were carried on.

Results: Ocular manifestations were seen in 41.9% of patients. The most common manifestation for Behçet's disease was vitritis with a prevalence of 55.6%, followed by anterior uveitis and retinal vasculitis (50% for each). On the other hand, the most frequent complications involved were cataract, cystoid macular edema (CMO), posterior synechiae and glaucoma with a prevalence of (44.4%), (33.3%), (11.1%) and (5.6%), respectively.

Conclusion: The prevalence and severity of ocular lesions in Behçet's disease is relatively low in Jordanian patients. This result indicates that early diagnoses and intervention might delay or even prevent vision loss for those patients.

Keywords: Behcet’s complications; Behçet’s disease; Ocular manifestation.

Figure 1

(a) Left mauclar OCt image shows significant reduction in retinal thickness (160 μ) as compared with OCT image (b) of the right eye (254 μ) in patient with longstanding intraocular inflammation secondary to Behcet’s disease.

Figure 2

(A) Colored fundus photograph showing grade 1 vitritis (clear disk and vessels but retinal fiber layer obscured) with retinal vasculitis involving superior temporal branch of retinal vein; (B) shows avascular peripheral retina with perivascular leakage 2ry to peripheral retinal vasculitis in patient with behcet disease.

Figure 3

OCT of the left eye (a) shows cystoid macular edema involving the outer plexiform and inner nuclear layers of the sensory retina with small sensory retinal detachment 2ry to viritis. FFA of the same eye (b) shows typical pattaloid appearance of cystoid macular edema with disk hyperfloresence due to associated papillitis.