SEASONAL VARIATIONS AND BEHÇET’S DISEASE ACTIVITY

Abstract

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis with mucocutaneous manifestations such as recurrent oral ulcers and genital ulcers in addition to major organ involvements including the vascular and central nervous systems. Many studies have found that the prevalence of clinical symptoms of BD varies by geographical region. The course of BD is characterized by relapses and remissions. Infectious agents and altered microbiomes have been blamed for exacerbations of the disease. Stress, physical exhaustion, mechanical oral trauma, and hormonal effects have been specifically associated with flare-ups. A seasonal pattern in the activation of certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, has been reported. However, the relationship, if any, between the seasonal changes and the symptoms and organ involvements of BD has yet to be determined. In this review, we discussed whether clinical findings in BD patients are related to the seasons in terms of activation.

Keywords

• behçet’s disease
• seasons
• weather
• exacerbation