my personal edition > rheumatology other > news


  E-Mail this DGReview to a colleague

DGReview

Behcet's Disease Frequencyin Italy, Types of Lesions Similar to Other Countries

Frequency and types of vascular lesions seen in Italian patients with Behcet's disease (BD) were similar to those seen in other countries, according to a recent study.

No associations were seen between factor V (Leiden) and prothrombin gene G20210A mutations in this group, however, researchers note that a prothrombin gene G29210A mutation may influence the development and severity of ocular concerns.

Mauro Silingardi, MD, and others from the Ospedale di Reggio Emilia in Reggio Emilia Italy, studied 125 consecutive BD patients during a 3-year period who satisfied the International Study Group criteria for BD. Seven patients were excluded because they were of northern African or Turkish origin. The remaining patients were all white, of Italian decent and had lived in Italy for at least 1 generation. The control group consisted of 132 white people of Italian heritage who were unrelated blood donors.

Of the 118 eligible patients, 37 patients were found to have vascular lesions, the most common being subcutaneous thrombophlebitis and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the legs. There were no significant differences between patients with DVT and those without.

The allele and genotype frequencies of prothrombin gene G20210A and factor V polymorphisms also did not differ between patients with BD and controls nor were there significant differences seen in the frequencies of carriage of prothrombin and factor V polymorphism in patients with BD with or without DVT.

The researchers did note that the frequency of the G20210A mutation was significantly higher in patients with BD who also had ocular disease. This was particularly so in patients with posterior uveitis/retinal vasculitis (31.1% vs. 0%, P = .004).

"Our study shows a frequency of vascular lesions in Italian BD patients similar to that reported in other countries," said Dr. Silingardi. "Thrombotic lesions in Italian BD patients seem more probably related to the endothelial activation induced by the vasculitic process. Furthermore, our data support the hypothesis that prothrombin gene G20210A mutation may influence the development and severity of ocular involvement in BD."


Arthritis Rheum 2004 Apr 15;51:177-83. "Factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene G20210A mutations in Italian patients with Behcet's disease and deep vein thrombosis"

E-Mail this DGReview to a colleague

To print, use this version