Behcet’s disease and cardiovascular involvement: our experience of asymptomatic Behcet’s patients

ABSTRACT: Behcet’s syndrome is a systemic inflammatory disease associated with vasculitis, and arterial, venous and cardiac disorders. Thirty-eight Behcet’s disease patients were examined prospectively with echocardiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography, and coagulation parameters were determined. Deep venous insufficiency was found in 16 patients, venous thrombosis in seven, one patient had iliac artery stenosis, three had carotid arterial intimal proliferation, two patients had aortic annulus dilatation, six had aortic valve insufficiency, and three had mitral valve insufficiency. None had coagulation defects. To decrease morbidity and mortality rates, a multidisciplinary approach is important for early diagnosis of cardiovascular involvement in Behcet’s disease.