Epidemiologic Findings of Behcet's Syndrome / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

For the purpose of epidemiologic study, the patients who visited Severance Hospital Behcet's Syndrome Specialty Clinic were grouped by Shimizu classification into the complete, incomplete, suspected types and evaluated. The results of the evaluation with respect to personal characteristics, geographic distribution, socioeconomic characteristics, family history, and clinical characteristics are as follows. 1. The incidence among the subgroups was incomplete type(46.3%), suspected type(36.7%), complete type(17.0%) and the male to female ratio was 0.60: 1, and the average age of onset was 29.1. years for males and 27.6 years for females. 2. The occupational distribution among males included office workers, 31.5%; drivers, 10.6% and among females was office workers, 6.7%; teachers, 3. 7 %; unemployed, 81.7%. 3. Among the presumed aggrevating factors affecting oral cavity, recurrent tonsillitis(20.8%) was most common, and premenstrual exacervation(12.8%) was most common. 4. The most common initial major manifestation was oral ulcer(80.6%), and the longest duration of major manifestations was oral ulcer(average 6.4 years), and the most frequent relapse of major manifestations was oral ulcer(average 14.6 times/year). 5. The average duration between the appearance of the first and second major manifestations was 5.2 years for complete type, 6.3 years for incomplete type, and 6.6 years for suspected type. 6. Combinations of major manifestations most commonly included oral ulcer, genital ulcers and skin lesions(65.3%) for incomplete type, and oral ulcer, skin lesion(54.8%) for suspected type.