eMedicine Specialties > Rheumatology > Vasculitis

Behcet Disease: Follow-up

Author: Augusto C Posadas, MD, Fellow, Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, University of Arizona School of Medicine
Coauthor(s): Jeffrey R Lisse, MD, FACP, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Chief, Section of Rheumatology, University of Arizona School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jun 22, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • Inpatient care is based on individual organ-system involvement.
  • In general, no further care is needed.

Further Outpatient Care

  • As disease activity subsides, taper medications to the lowest dose that effectively controls the symptoms and disease activity.

Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

  • Inpatient and outpatient medication are the same (see Medication). All agents discussed above have been found to be effective in controlling the manifestations of Behçet disease.

Transfer

  • Individualize the transfer situation for each patient based on the specifics of organ-system involvement.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Continual use of immunosuppressive medications may be required to suppress disease. Use the lowest dose required to control the manifestations of illness.

Complications

  • Aneurysms are especially feared.
  • Thrombotic events and vasculitis may lead to ischemia distal to vascular lesions.
  • Uncontrolled ophthalmologic involvement in the form of anterior and posterior uveitis can lead to vision loss.
  • Neurologic involvement suggests progressive disease and can lead to permanent deficits or even death.

Prognosis

  • Prognosis is related to the site and severity of involvement.

Patient Education

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Adverse effects of medication
  • Risk of misdiagnosis or failure to ascertain the extent of organ involvement
 


More on Behcet Disease

Overview: Behcet Disease
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Behcet Disease
Treatment & Medication: Behcet Disease
Follow-up: Behcet Disease
Multimedia: Behcet Disease
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

Behçet disease, Behcet disease, Behçet syndrome, Behcet syndrome, Behçet's disease, Adamantiades-Behçet disease, BD, inflammatory arthritis, sacroiliitis, ulcerative lesions, aphthous ulcers, oral ulcers, oral lesions, skin lesions, genital ulcers, phlebitis, uveitis, iritis, hypopyon, retinal vasculitis, erythema nodosum, pseudofolliculitis, papulopustular lesions, pathergy, vasculopathy, superficial thrombophlebitis, deep venous thrombophlebitis, Budd-Chiari syndrome, mouth and genital ulcers with inflamed cartilage, MAGIC, autoimmune disease

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Augusto C Posadas, MD, Fellow, Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, University of Arizona School of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Jeffrey R Lisse, MD, FACP, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Chief, Section of Rheumatology, University of Arizona School of Medicine
Jeffrey R Lisse, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American College of Rheumatology, American Geriatrics Society, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Kristine M Lohr, MD, MS, Program Director, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Women's Health, University of Kentucky School of Medicine
Kristine M Lohr, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American College of Rheumatology, and American Medical Women's Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Lawrence H Brent, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University; Chair, Program Director, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Albert Einstein Medical Center
Lawrence H Brent, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Immunologists, American College of Physicians, and American College of Rheumatology
Disclosure: Genentech Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Genentech Grant/research funds Other; Amgen Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Wyeth Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Abbott Immunology Honoraria Speaking and teaching

CME Editor

Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society of General Internal Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Herbert S Diamond, MD, Professor of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine; Chairman Emeritus, Department of Internal Medicine, Western Pennsylvania Hospital
Herbert S Diamond, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, American College of Rheumatology, American Medical Association, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: medifocus Honoraria Review panel membership; health dialogs Honoraria Consulting; West Penn Allegheny Health System None Board membership

 
 
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