The relationship between deep vein thrombosis and erythema nodosum in male patients with Behçet’s disease

F. Cebeci, N. Onsun, H.A. Ulusal, B. Inan

Department of Dermatology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. cebecifiliz@yahoo.com

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• Rheumatology

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of thrombosis in Behçet’s Disease (BD) is unknown, however, multiple factors leading to the disease may include hypercoagulability, hypofibrinolysis and endothelial injury. We sought to evaluate the frequency of erythema nodosum-like lesions (ENLL) due to the presence of vasculitis in ENLL observed in BD in male patients with BD with and without deep vein thrombosis. To our knowledge this is the first study to investigate the association of ENLL between the groups with or without thrombosis in only male patients with BD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 92 patients, 41 of whom had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and 51 had no thrombosis that met the international diagnosis criteria for BD. Vascular involvement was diagnosed based on clinical signs; radiological findings from Doppler, ultrasonography and/or angiography computed tomographic or magnetic resonance. ENLL were diagnosed by means of biopsy in suspected cases.

RESULTS: Since both groups were age-matched, there were no statistically significant differences in regard to age (p > 0.05). Twenty-four patients (66%) of the DVT group, had ENLL, while18 patients (35%) of the group without DVT had ENLL. In male patients with vascular involvement, the frequency of ENLL was significantly higher than that of male patients without vascular involvement (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The male Behçet’s patients with ENLL compose high-risk patient group in terms of complications, such as DVT. We therefore recommend that male patients with ENLL be monitored more carefully for DVT.

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