Description

Behcet (beh-CHET), the disease, also called syndrome Behcet, is a rare condition. Causes inflammation of the blood vessels, called inflammation throughout the body.

Symptoms of Behcet's disease, it may appear that are not related in the first place. They can include mouth sores, eye irritation, and swelling, skin rashes and sores, and genital ulcers.

The treatment consists of medications to relieve the symptoms of Behcet's disease and to prevent serious complications, such as blindness.

Symptoms

Behcet the symptoms of the disease vary from person to person. The symptoms may appear and disappear, or become less severe over time. The symptoms depend on which parts of the body the disease affects.

The Behcet's disease most often affects the following:

  • Mouth.Painful sores in the mouth that look like canker sores are the most common sign of Behcet's disease. Begin as raised, round sores in the mouth. Quickly turn into painful ulcers. The sores in the majority of the time it heals in 1 to 3 weeks. But they often come back.
  • Of the skin. Some people have sores that look like acne on their bodies. Others are raised and tender growths called nodules on the skin, mainly in the lower part of the legs.
  • The genitals. The sores may occur on the scrotum or vulva. Ulcers are most often painful and can leave scars.
  • The eyes. The irritation and swelling, called inflammation in the eye that causes redness, pain and blurred vision. Call uveitis, the inflammation most often affects both eyes. In people with Behcet's disease, these symptoms can appear and disappear.
  • In the joints. Swelling of the joints, and the pain often affects the knees in people with Behcet's disease. Ankles, elbows or wrists could also be involved. The symptoms can last from 1 to 3 weeks and go away on their own.
  • The blood vessels. Swelling, called inflammation in the veins and arteries can cause redness and pain. It can cause a blood clot, which leads to swelling in the arms or legs. The inflammation in the large arteries can lead to complications. These include bulges in the artery that can burst, called an aneurysm, and a narrowed or blocked blood vessels.
  • The digestive system. Several symptoms can affect the network of organs that digest food, called the digestive system. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea and bleeding.
  • Brain. Swelling, called inflammation in the brain and the nervous system can cause headache, fever, confusion, lack of balance or stroke.

Mouth. Painful sores in the mouth that look like canker sores are the most common sign of Behcet's disease. Begin as raised, round sores in the mouth. Quickly turn into painful ulcers.

The sores in the majority of the time it heals in 1 to 3 weeks. But they often come back.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your health care professional if you have symptoms that could be of Behcet's disease. If you have been diagnosed with the disease, consult your health care professional if you have new symptoms.

Causes

The Behcet's disease might be an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's immune system attacks some of its own healthy cells by mistake. It is likely that changes in the genes and factors in the environment play a role.

Experts believe that inflammation of the blood vessels, called vasculitis, the cause of the symptoms of Behcet's disease. The condition can involve arteries and veins of all sizes. Vasculitis can damage blood vessels throughout the body.

Some genes can make people more likely to get Behcet's disease. Some researchers think that a germ that can trigger the disease in people who have these genes.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase your risk of Behcet's disease include:

  • Age. The Behcet's disease most often affects people in their 20s and 30s. But children and older adults may also have the condition.
  • Country. The people of the countries in the Middle East and East Asia, including Turkey, Iran, Japan and China, are more likely to get the Behcet's disease.
  • The sex assigned at birth. The Behcet's disease can happen to anyone. But the disease is most often worse in people assigned male at birth.
  • Genes. Certain genes may be associated with a higher risk of getting Behcet's disease.

Complications

The complications of Behcet's disease depend on the symptoms. For example, non-uveitis can lead to loss of vision or blindness. If you have ocular symptoms of Behcet's disease, to see an eye specialist called an ophthalmologist on a regular basis. The treatment can help to prevent this complication.

Diagnosis

None of the tests may show that you have the Behcet's disease. So that your health care professional, primarily, makes the diagnosis based on the symptoms. Almost all the people with the disease are sores in the mouth. For mouth sores that come back, at least, three times in 12 months, are often required for a diagnosis of Behcet's disease.

In addition, a diagnosis of Behcet's disease requires at least two other symptoms, such as:

  • Genital sores that keep coming back.
  • The swelling and irritation, called inflammation of the eye.
  • Sores on the skin.

Tests to diagnose Behcet's disease include:

  • The laboratory tests. Blood tests or other laboratory tests can rule out other conditions.
  • Pathergy test. Your healthcare provider puts a sterile needle in your skin and is seen in the area of 1 to 2 days later. If the test is positive, it is a small lump forms under the skin where the needle was put in. This demonstrates that the immune system reacts too much to a minor injury.

Treatment

There is No cure for Behcet's disease. If you have a mild form, your health care professional may suggest medicines to help control pain and swelling of the flashes. It is possible to not need the medication between the flashes. For some people, symptoms improve with time.

For the worst of the symptoms, you can take medicines to control the Behcet's disease through his body. In addition, you can take medicines for flares.

Treatments for the symptoms of Behcet's disease

Medications to control the symptoms during the eruptions may include:

  • Skin creams, gels and ointments. These products, called the topical medications, corticosteroids are drugs that you put on your skin and genital ulcers.
  • Mouth rinses. Special mouthwashes that have the corticosteroids and other agents, can reduce the pain of the sores in the mouth.
  • Drops for the eyes. By a slight swelling and irritation, eye drops, which are corticosteroids or other medicines that can help.

The entire body of the treatments for Behcet's disease

If topical medications do not help, you can take an oral medication called colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare, other). This is for the mouth and genital ulcers that come back. Colchicine also could alleviate the swelling of the joints.

More recently, the united states Food and Drug Administration approved apremilast (Otezla) for the treatment of mouth sores caused by Behcet's disease. Side effects may include weight loss and depression.

If you have more severe Behcet's disease, you may need treatments to lessen the damage of the disease between the flashes. Your health care professional may prescribe:

  • Corticosteroids for the management of inflammation and irritation, called inflammation.Corticosteroids, such as prednisone (Rays), the ease of the inflammation caused by Behcet's disease. Health professionals often prescribe corticosteroids with other medication to make the immune system less active. Side effects of corticosteroids include weight gain, heartburn, high blood pressure and thinning of the bones, called osteoporosis.
  • The drugs that make the immune system less active.Drugs that prevent the immune system attacks the healthy tissues include azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, others) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). These medicines may increase the risk of infection. It can also affect the liver and kidneys and cause low blood counts and high blood pressure.
  • Drugs that change how the immune system responds.Interferon alfa-2b (Intron a) can be used alone or with other medications to help manage sores on the skin, joint pain, eye irritation in people with Behcet's disease. Side effects include flu-like symptoms, such as muscle pain and fatigue. Drugs that block a substance called tumor necrosis factor can treat some of the symptoms of Behcet's disease. People who have worse symptoms or symptoms that are resistant to treatment may take one of these medications. Medications include the use of infliximab (Remicade) and adalimumab (Humira). Side effects may include headache, skin rash and an increased risk of infections.

Corticosteroids for the management of inflammation and irritation, called inflammation. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone (Rays), the ease of the inflammation caused by Behcet's disease. Health professionals often prescribe corticosteroids with other medication to make the immune system less active.

Side effects of corticosteroids include weight gain, heartburn, high blood pressure and thinning of the bones, called osteoporosis.

The drugs that make the immune system less active. Drugs that prevent the immune system attacks the healthy tissues include azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, others) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan).

These medicines may increase the risk of infection. It can also affect the liver and kidneys and cause low blood counts and high blood pressure.

Drugs that change how the immune system responds. Interferon alfa-2b (Intron a) can be used alone or with other medications to help manage sores on the skin, joint pain, eye irritation in people with Behcet's disease. Side effects include flu-like symptoms, such as muscle pain and fatigue.

Drugs that block a substance called tumor necrosis factor can treat some of the symptoms of Behcet's disease. People who have worse symptoms or symptoms that are resistant to treatment may take one of these medications.

Medications include the use of infliximab (Remicade) and adalimumab (Humira). Side effects may include headache, skin rash and an increased risk of infections.

Coping and support

No one can predict the course of Behcet's disease. And not knowing can be difficult. Taking good care of yourself can help you cope with Behcet's disease. Try:

  • The rest during the eruptions. When symptoms appear, take time for yourself. Make time in your day to rest when you need it. Try to reduce stress.
  • Is activated when the symptoms improve. Moderate exercise, such as walking or swimming, it can make you feel better between Behcet disease outbreaks. The exercise can strengthen your body, help keep joints moving and improve your mood.
  • Connect with others. Due to Behcet's disease is rare, it can be difficult to find other people with the disease. Ask your health care team about support groups in your area. If you can't connect with someone close to you, the American Behcet's Disease Association offers message boards and chat rooms where you can connect with other people who have the condition.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your primary healthcare professional. Your healthcare provider may send you to a specialist who treats arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, called a rheumatologist.

Depending on your symptoms, you may also need to see an ophthalmologist for eye problems, a gynecologist or a urologist for genital sores, a dermatologist for skin problems, a gastroenterologist for digestive problems, or a neurologist for the symptoms that involve the brain or central nervous system.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Your symptoms, including when they started and how bad they are.
  • Key personal information, including major stresses and recent changes in life.
  • All the drugs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking, including dosage.
  • Questions to ask your health care team.

Ask a family member or friend to go with you to help you remember the information that you receive.

For Behcet's disease, questions to ask your health care team include:

  • What tests do I need? How do I prepare for them?
  • Is my condition likely to be brief or long-lasting?
  • What treatments are there? Which do you advise?
  • I have another medical condition. How can I best manage these conditions?
  • Do you have brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you suggest?

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care team is likely to ask you questions, such as:

  • Do you have symptoms all the time, or come and go?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
  • Does anyone in your family has an illness like yours?
Symptoms and treatment of Behcet's disease