What is the impact of traditional risk factors for vascular affection on Behcet’s disease vascular involvement: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background To study the frequency, types, and outcome of vascular involvement in a cohort of Egyptian patients with Behcet’s disease (BD) and its relation to traditional risk factors for vascular affection. Patients and methods A retrospective cohort study was done involving 164 patients with BD diagnosed according to the criteria of the International Study Group for BD admitted to Cairo and Ain Shams Universities Hospitals from 2000 to 2017. They were reviewed to analyze the types, risk factors, and outcome of vascular involvement. Results A total of 148 men and 16 women were included in the study, with a mean age of 31.5±7.5 years. Their disease duration ranged from 1 to 36 years, with a mean of 7.3±5.5 years. Vascular involvement was present in 64 (39%), involving both venous and arterial sides of the circulation. Venous affection was more common than arterial (39 and 17%, respectively). No significant association was found between traditional risk factors for vascular affection (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity) and vascular involvement in patients with BD. Although uncommon, arterial aneurysm (9.8%) is the most serious complication, as it may lead to mortality owing to aneurysm rupture and bleeding (representing 100% of deaths in this study). Conclusion Vascular involvement in patients with BD is mainly owing to the disease process itself and not owing to the effect of the traditional risk factors for vascular affection, reflecting the importance of focusing on treatment of the disease process. However, adjustment of these risk factors would lead to better health outcome for the vulnerable patients.

Keywords

• Behcet’s disease
• risk factors
• vascular outcome
• vasculitis