Ocular Involvement in Behcet's Disease

Uveitis secondary to systemic diseases and in particular to Behcet's disease is frequent in Turkey. Eye involvement is not confined to the uvea; it also involves the optic nerve and the retina due to the participation of the retinal vascular system. The clinical course is characterized by activations and remissions. Severity of eye involvement is heterogeneous among patients. The analysis of the frequency and severity of activations along with detection of sequel formation has prognostic significance. There is no specific medication for treatment of Behcet's disease. Local and systemic corticosteroids, immunosuppressives and immunomodulators are used and their side effects are monitored. Treatment end points are to decrease the frequency and severity of attacks and the prevention of sequelae. (Turkderm 2009; 43 Suppl 2: 48-53

Relation of Protein Oxidation Parameters and Disease Activity in Patients with Behcet's Disease

Background: Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory vasculitis characterized by endothelial dysfunction, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and neutrophil hyperfunction production including acute attacks and remission periods. Ischemia modified albumin (IMA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), prooxidants-antioxidants balance (PAB), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were evaluated in regard to their role in the pathogenesis of BD as well as their relation to clinical presentation, uveitis attacks and remission periods, and healthy volunteers

Interferon alfa combined with azathioprine for the uveitis of Behcet's disease: An open study

Background: Eye involvement is the main cause of morbidity in Behcet's syndrome. The efficacy of the combined use of azathioprine and interferon alfa in treating this condition has not been studied

Etanercept treatment in the endotoxin-induced uveitis of rats

This study was conducted to investigate therapeutic value of a soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) receptor, etanercept, in a rat model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). Forty-two inbred male Lewis rats were divided into seven equal groups. 200 mug of Escherichia coli 055:1355 lipopolysaccharide, (LPS) was injected in one hind footpad of the Groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 rats. Group 5, 6, and 7 rats also received subcutaneous etanercept 24 hr prior to LPS injection at a dose of 0(.)4 mg kg(-1). Group 1 rats were used as controls. Eight, 24, and 48 hr after treatment clinical uvetis scores (miosis, iris hyperemia, and hypopyon) were assessed by a masked observer and the rats were euthanized. Neutrophil leukocytes, CD8 +, CD4 +, and CD45RO + cells in the anterior uveal tissue were counted either after hematoxylin-eosin or monoclonal antibody staining. TNF-alpha. levels were also measured in the aqueous humor samples by an ELISA method. Etanercept treatment significantly improved clinical uveitis scores at all examination points compared to the LPS injected animals. The improvement was almost complete expect for the miosis score, since no significant difference was detected between the controls and LPS + Etanercept treated animals at all examination points. Cell counts were also at significantly lower levels in LPS + Etanercept treated animals at all examination points, except for CD8 + and CD45RO + cell counts at 24 hr examination point. There was no significant difference between the controls and LPS + Etanercept treated animals at all examination points as with CD4 + and CD45RO + cell counts at 48 hr. Our data showed that etanercept had a definite effect on the treatment of EIU. Further studies should clarify its efficacy on clinical uveitis conditions. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A reassessment of the International Study Group criteria for the diagnosis (classification) of Behcet's syndrome

Objective Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) were not represented in the diseased controls group that had been utilised in the development of the International Study Group (ISG) criteria for the diagnosis of Behcet's syndrome (BS). Having similar features, both of these conditions can pose problems in the differential diagnosis of BS. Moreover there has been a recent awareness of coexistence of BS and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). The aim of this study was to reassess the performance of ISG criteria among patients with BS and other rheumatological conditions, specifically including those with CD, UC, and FM

Short-term trial of etanercept in Behcet's disease: A double blind, placebo controlled study

Objective. To determine the effect of the tumor necrosis factor-a blocker-etanercept on the pathergy and monosodium urate (MSU) status and on the mucocutaneous and articular manifestations of patients with Behcet's disease (BD)