Open AccessEpidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of Behçet's disease: a monocentric study in Tunisia
Author(s) -
F. Daoud,
I. Rachdi,
M. Somaï,
Anissa Zaouak,
Houda Hammami,
M. Ouederni,
Rym Maamouri,
H. Zoubeidi,
M. Tougorti,
Jihène Ksouri,
B. Ben Dhaou,
Z. Aydi,
S. Fénniche,
M. Chéour,
F. Boussema
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the pan african medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.287
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 1937-8688
DOI - 10.11604/pamj.2021.40.13.19146
Subject(s) - medicine , behcet's disease , erythema nodosum , epidemiology , disease , behcet disease , pathergy , venous thrombosis , sex organ , surgery , retrospective cohort study , pediatrics , thrombosis , biology , genetics
to describe the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolving characteristics of Behçet´s disease and identify prognostic factors. Methods we have realized a retrospective, single-center study, conducted over a period of 26 years and including 130 patients presenting Behçet´s disease and hospitalized in an Internal Medicine Department. Results the mean age of the Behçet´s disease at onset was 30.3 ±8.8 years and that at diagnosis was 34.6 ±9.4 years. The sex ratio (male/female) was 2.5. The mean delay of diagnosis was 53.5 months. Oral aphthosis was constant. The frequency of the manifestations was: genital aphtosis 71.5%, pseudofolliculitis 84.6%, erythema nodosum 11.5%, positive pathergy test 50%, ocular disease 36.9%, venous thrombosis 30%, arterial disease 4.6%, joint damage 30.8%, neurological disease 19.2% and digestive disease 0.8%. The male gender was significantly associated with ocular involvement (p =0.02), venous disease (p =0.01) and occurrence of relapses (p =0.01). The mean follow up was 68.5 ± 77.3 months. The poor survival prognostic factors were male gender, ocular involvement, venous disease, cardiovascular disease, a duration of follow up ≤12 months and a diagnostic delay ≤ 24 months. Conclusion: improving the prognosis of Behçet´s disease requires a shortening of the time to diagnosis, multidisciplinary collaboration, intensive treatment of functional threats, regular monitoring, and patient adherence.