Abstract
Oral apthous ulcers and skin lesions are the primary symptoms of Behcet’s disease (BD). To date, there is no study to investigate possible associations between these lesions and endothelial functions. We have hypothesized that active BD period with oral and skin lesions might have more deteriorating effect on endothelial functions. Thirty-five patients with BD were registered for the study. Each subject was evaluated two times in both active and inactive disease periods. The subject with at least 30 days of lesion-free period was regarded in the inactive disease period, and the subject with any oral and/or skin lesions was regarded in the active disease period. For the control group, 35 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects were registered. In each subject, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery after transient ischemia was evaluated in both active and inactive disease periods. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) values (3.30 ± 5.76 vs 14.19 ± 13.55 vs 1.82 ± 1.31, P < 0.001) and FMD values (13.89 ± 5.57 vs 8.53 ± 4.78 vs 15.83 ± 5.29, P < 0.001) were significantly different among the BD patients in inactive and active disease periods and among control subjects. FMD values in inactive and active disease periods modestly correlated to hsCRP and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values. Brachial FMD is more prominently impaired in BD patients within the active disease period. BD patients are possibly more vulnerable to cardiovascular manifestations when they are in the active disease period.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Koc Y, Gullu I, Akpek G, Akpolat T, Kansu E, Kiraz S, Batman F, Kansu T, Balkanci F, Akkaya S et al (1992) Vascular involvement in Behcet’s disease. J Rheumatol 19:402–410
Ehrlich GE (1997) Vasculitis in Behcet’s disease. Int Rev Immunol 14:81–88
Atzeni F, Sarzi-Puttini P, Doria A, Boiardi L, Pipitone N, Salvarani C (2005) Behcet’s disease and cardiovascular involvement. Lupus 14:723–726
Kosar F, Sahin I, Gullu H, Cehreli S (2005) Acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries in a young man with the Behcet’s disease. Int J Cardiol 99:355–357
Chambers JC, Haskard DO, Kooner JS (2001) Vascular endothelial function and oxidative stress mechanisms in patients with Behcet’s syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol 37:517–520
Ozdemir R, Barutcu I, Sezgin AT, Acikgoz N, Ermis N, Esen AM, Topal E, Bariskaner E, Ozerol I (2004) Vascular endothelial function and plasma homocysteine levels in Behcet’s disease. Am J Cardiol 94:522–525
Kiraz S, Ertenli I, Ozturk MA, Haznedaroglu IC, Celik I, Calguneri M (2002) Pathological haemostasis and “prothrombotic state” in Behcet’s disease. Thromb Res 105:125–133
Criteria for diagnosis of Behcet’s disease. International Study Group for Behcet’s Disease (1990). Lancet 335:1078–1080
Corretti MC, Anderson TJ, Benjamin EJ, Celermajer D, Charbonneau F, Creager MA, Deanfield J, Drexler H, Gerhard-Herman M, Herrington D, Vallance P, Vita J, Vogel R (2002) International Brachial Artery Reactivity Task Force. Guidelines for the ultrasound assessment of endothelial-dependent flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery: a report of the International Brachial Artery Reactivity Task Force. J Am Coll Cardiol 39:257–265
Ehrlich GE (1997) Vasculitis in Behcet’s disease. Int Rev Immunol 14(1):81–88
Atzeni F, Sarzi-Puttini P, Doria A, Boiardi L, Pipitone N, Salvarani C (2005) Behcet’s disease and cardiovascular involvement. Lupus 14(9):723–726
al-Dalaan AN, al Balaa SR, el Ramahi K, al-Kawi Z, Bohlega S, Bahabri S, al Janadi MA (1994) Behcet’s disease in Saudi Arabia. J Rheumatol 21(4):658–661 (Apr)
Haznedaroglu IC, Ozcebe OI, Ozdemir O, Celik I, Dundar SV, Kirazli S (1996) Impaired haemostatic kinetics and endothelial function in Behcet’s disease. J Intern Med 240(4):181–187 (Oct)
Haznedaroglu IC, Ozdemir O, Ozcebe O, Dundar SV, Kirazli S (1996) Circulating thrombomodulin as a clue of endothelial damage in Behcet’s disease. Thromb Haemost 75(6):974–975 (Jun)
Orem A, Yandi YE, Vanizor B et al (2002) The evaluation of autoantibodies against oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL), susceptibility of LDL to oxidation, serum lipids and lipid hydroperoxide levels, total antioxidant status, antioxidant enzyme activities, and endothelial dysfunction in patients with Behcet’s disease. Clin Biochem 35:217–224
Buldanlioglu S, Turkmen S, Ayabakan HB, Yenice N, Vardar M, Dogan S, Mercan E (2005) Nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defence system in patients with active or inactive Behcet’s disease. Br J Dermatol 153(3):526–530 (Sep)
Chajek T, Fainaru M (1975) Behçet’s disease. Report of 41 cases and a review of the literature. Medicine 54:179–196
Marks DS, Gudapati S, Prisant LM, Leir B, Donato-Gonzalez C, Baller JL, Houghton JL (2004) Mortality in patients with microvascular disease. J Clin Hypertens 6:304–309
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Caliskan, M., Yilmaz, S., Yildirim, E. et al. Endothelial functions are more severely impaired during active disease period in patients with Behcet’s disease. Clin Rheumatol 26, 1074–1078 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-006-0449-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-006-0449-1