Clinical Study of the Bechcet's Syndrome

Many papers on Behcet's syndrome published during the past forty years, open with the statement that the diease was discovered by Behcet and first described by him in 1937.

Behcet's syndrome is characterized by four major components : iridocyclitis(historically with hypopyon), aphthous lesions in the oral mucosa, ulceration of the genitalia, and erythema nodosum in the skin of the extremities, but the ocular symptoms may be the most important and serious manifestation of the disease. Central nervous system involvement, most often due to necrotizing vasculitis, may be the most protean manifestation of the disease, leading to death.

Oral lesion is early symptoms in this dieasese which encounter otolaryngologist at first, so we need carefull examination at early of this disease, because it lead blindness and death that was involved in the eye and nervous system in late stage.

This paper to report the author's experience over 18 years at Dept. of ENT in Ewha womans university hospital from 1964 to 1982, 18 cases has been studied and treated clinically, and following results were obtained:

1) Sex distribution were male to female; 3.5:1.

2) Age distribution were 84% in 2nd and 3rd decade.

3) Among 18 cases, 6 cases were complete form and 12 cases were incomplete from.

4) Incidence of four major symptoms were 100% in complete form.

5) In incomplete form : incidence of oral lesion were 100%, skin lesions were 84%, eye lesion were 42%, and genital lesions were 33% as in order.

6) The result of Behcetin test were 100% positive in complete form and 66% positive in incomplete form.

7) Treatment were conservative with antiboitics antihistamine, ACTH, vitamin, and sulfa.

8) One cases with complications of the central nervous system died within 3 years after the onset of this disease. Incidence of blindness were 50% of cases in complete form and 17% in incomplete form.