Deep vein thrombosis in Behçet's disease
M.H. Houman1, I. Ben Ghorbel1, I. Khiari Ben Salah1, M. Lamloum1, M. Ben Ahmed2, M. Miled1
1Department of Internal Medicine. La Rabta Hospital, 2Department of Immunology, Institute Pasteur. Tunis, Tunisia.
ABSTRACT
Objective
We aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of deep vein thrombosis
(DVT) in Behçet's disease (BD) and to determine the patients at high risk for this complication.
Methods
Among 113 patients with BD according to the international criteria for classification of BD, those with DVT were retrospectively studied. The diagnosis of DVT was made in all cases using conventional venous
angiography, venous ultrasonography and/or thoracic or abdominal computed
tomography. Patients were divided in two subgroups according to the occurrence of DVT other than cerebral thromboses. The medical records of these patients were reviewed in order to investigate their past medical history and evaluate their response to the treatment prescribed. Clinical and genetic factors
(HLA B51 and MICA 6) that might contribute to DVT were analysed by comparing patients with and without
DVT. Results of our series were compared to those of other series in the literature. Statistical analysis was by Chi square with necessary correction and Fischer tests.
Results
Forty-four patients (38.9%) had deep vein thrombosis of various systems with 81
localisations. There were 40 men and four women (mean age 28.1 years; range 17-60). DVT appeared after the onset of disease with a mean delay of 3.8 years. In 6 cases, DVT revealed BD. When we evaluated the risk of DVT coexistence with other clinical findings and genetic factors
(HLA B51 and MICA 6), we found a significant positive correlation with sex, and positive pathergy test.
Conclusion
In our series, occurrence of DVT was significantly associated with male gender and positive pathergy test.
Key words
Behçet's disease, deep vein thrombosis, HLA linkage, MIC genes.
Please address correspondence to: Pr. M. Habib Houman, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital La Rabta 1007 Tunis, Tunisia.
E-mail: houman.habib@rns.tn
Clin Exp Rheumatol 2001; 19: S48-S50.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental
Rheumatology 2001.