Clinical manifestations in digestive system of Behcet's disease in elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical manifestations,endoscopy and pathological features of Behcet's disease (BD) in gastrointestinal systems in elderly patients.Methods Totally 8 patients aged ≥ 60 years with BD were collected.Clinical characteristics and endoscopic performances of gastrointestinal tracts in patients were summarized.All patients were received gastrointestinal biopsy and the histology change was observed.The vasculitis of gastrointestinal tracts was confirmed by histochemical staining.Results The proportion of patients with BD involving the esophagus was 16.7％ (9/54) and among whom 6 cases (11.1 ％) were elderly,so the proportion of BD patients with esophageal lesions in elderly patients was 66.7 ％ (6/9).The proportion of patients with BD involving the ileocolon was 9.3％ (5/54) and 4 cases (7.4％) were elderly patients,so the proportion of BD patients with ileocolon lesions in elderly patients was 80.0％ (4/5).6 patients had retrosternal chest pain,among whom 2 patients with dysphagia and 4 patients with abdominal pain and hematochezia.In the laboratory tests,the levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein were elevated in 4 cases,and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody(ANCA)were negative in all patients.In the physical examination,oral and genital ulcers in 6 patients,and a history of recurrent oral and genital ulcers were found in the other 2 patients.6 patients had ophthalmia and 4 patients with skin lesions.6 patients had multiple esophageal ulcers,in which shallow ulcers was more common,and the surface of ulcer was clean and white with congestion and edema at the periphery of ulcers.BD involving the ileocecal and ascending colon were found in 4 cases.Typical small vessel vasculitis was the pathological performance.The retrosternal chest pain disappeared and the esophageal ulcers were healed after the treatment.Conclusions Gastrointestinal involvement in BD patients is associated with the the course of disease.Longer duration can increase the possibility of gastrointestinal involvement in BD.Elderly BD patients are more common with esophageal involvement.Rctrosternal chest pain may be a relatively specific clinical symptom in BD involving esophageal tract.Glucocorticoids and (or) thalidomide are effective for the treatment of BD with esophageal involvement.