Behcet Syndrome Follow-up

  • Author: C Egla Rabinovich, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Lawrence K Jung, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 24, 2009
 

Further Inpatient Care

  • Patients with Behçet syndrome may need to be admitted during acute flares for intravenous therapy or for diagnostic testing or surgical intervention.
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Further Outpatient Care

  • Close follow-up care is warranted to monitor clinical status, including routine eye examinations.
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Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

  • Medications (see Medication) vary depending on the clinical manifestations. Monitor drug side effects and efficacy closely.
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Transfer

  • Transfer to a tertiary care center for diagnosis and intervention may be warranted, depending on the clinical symptomatology.
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Deterrence/Prevention

  • No preventative measures are known for Behçet syndrome.
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Complications

  • Complications include those caused by medications and the primary disease, and they vary depending on clinical presentation and disease manifestations.
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Prognosis

  • Prognosis depends on clinical manifestations. The worst prognoses are associated with retinal vasculitis, leading to blindness; vascular aneurysm formation, with possible rupture; and neuro–Behçet syndrome, which may lead to dementia despite appropriate aggressive treatment.
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Patient Education

  • Patients must be educated in disease manifestations, long-term prognosis, and medication side effects.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

C Egla Rabinovich, MD, MPH  Associate Professor and Co-Division Chief, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Duke University Medical Center

C Egla Rabinovich, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Linda Wagner-Weiner, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago

Linda Wagner-Weiner, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Thomas JA Lehman, MD, FAAP, FACR  Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Weill-Cornell University; Chief, Hospital for Special Surgery

Thomas JA Lehman, MD, FAAP, FACR is a member of the following medical societies: PM American Allergy Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Paul D Petry, DO, FACOP, FAAP  Consulting Staff, Freeman Pediatric Care, Freeman Health System

Paul D Petry, DO, FACOP, FAAP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Osteopathy, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Lawrence K Jung, MD  Chief, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children's National Medical Center

Lawrence K Jung, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Immunologists, American College of Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology Society, and New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References
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  3. Ihle J, Kummerle-Deschner J, Orlikowsky T, Albert E, Niethammer D, Dannecker GE. Factor V Leiden and venous thrombosis in a 4-yr-old girl with Behcet's syndrome. Rheumatology (Oxford). Feb 2000;39(2):209-10. [Medline].

  4. [Guideline] Hatemi G, Silman A, Bang D, Bodaghi B, Chamberlain AM, Gul A. EULAR recommendations for the management of Behçet disease. Ann Rheum Dis. Dec 2008;67(12):1656-62. [Medline].

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  18. Tabbara KF, Al-Hemidan AI. Infliximab effects compared to conventional therapy in the management of retinal vasculitis in Behçet disease. Am J Ophthalmol. Dec 2008;146(6):845-50.e1. [Medline].

  19. Yazici H, Pazarli H, Barnes CG, et al. A controlled trial of azathioprine in Behcet's syndrome. N Engl J Med. Feb 1 1990;322(5):281-5. [Medline].

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MRI, T2-weighted images of brainstem involvement with meningoencephalitis in an 11-year-old girl with neurologic Behçet syndrome.
Histology of ulcers revealing neutrophilic infiltrate and vasculitis.
 
 
 
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