Yonsei Med J.  2012 Jan;53(1):35-42. 10.3349/ymj.2012.53.1.35.

New Insights in the Clinical Understanding of Behcet's Disease

• Cho SB
• Cho S
• Bang D

• KMID: 1779684
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2012.53.1.35

Abstract

Behcet's disease is a chronic relapsing multisystemic inflammatory disorder characterized by four major symptoms (oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, skin lesions, and ocular lesions) and occasionally by five minor symptoms (arthritis, gastrointestinal ulcers, epididymitis, vascular lesions, and central nervous system symptoms). Although the etiology of Behcet's disease is still unknown, there have been recent advances in immunopathogenic studies, genome-wide association studies, animal models, diagnostic markers, and new biological agents. These advances have improved the clinical understanding of Behcet's disease and have enabled us to develop new treatment strategies for this intractable disease, which remains one of the leading causes of blindness.

Keyword

Behcet's disease; epidemiology; etiopathogenesis; animal model; diagnosis; new biologics

MeSH Terms

Animals
*Behcet Syndrome/epidemiology/immunology/therapy
Biological Therapy/*trends
Disease Models, Animal
Humans
Prevalence
*World Health

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Global distribution of Behçet's disease. Dot size reflects prevalence.

• 

  Fig. 2 Diagram presenting etiopathogenesis of Behçet disease. TNF, tumor necrosis factor; IL, interleukin; CTLA-4, cytotoyic T-lymphocyte antigen-4.

• 

  Fig. 3 Therapeutic approach to Behçet's disease. TNF, tumor necrosis factor; IFN, interferon.

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