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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2004; 25(5): 557-568
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-836147
Copyright © 2004 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Behçet's Disease

Manae S. Kurokawa1 , 2 , Hideshi Yoshikawa1 , 2 , Noboru Suzuki1 , 2
  • 1Department of Immunology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
  • 2Departments of Immunology and Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
09 November 2004 (online)

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Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammation. Major symptoms are oral aphthous ulcers, uveitis, skin lesions, and genital ulcerations. Involvement of vessels, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and central nervous system (CNS) is less frequent but is associated with a poor prognosis. Pulmonary complications of BD include aneurysms of the aorta, great vessels, or pulmonary arteries; arterial or venous thrombosis; pulmonary parenchymal changes; pleurisy, and intracardiac thrombosis. Hemoptysis caused by pulmonary artery aneurysms may lead to lethal hemorrhage. Recent advances in therapeutic strategies have improved the prognosis. In this review, the salient clinical and histopathological features of BD and treatment strategies are discussed.

KEYWORDS

Behçet's disease - pulmonary vasculitis - pulmonary arterial aneurysms - hemoptysis - thrombosis

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Noboru SuzukiM.D. Ph.D. 

Departments of Immunology and Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine

2-16-1, Sugao, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki

Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan

Email: n3suzuki@marianna-u.ac.jp