[Venous involvement in Behcet's disease: a series of 28 cases].

Background: Venous involvement is a rare and severe clinical feature in Behcet disease (BD).

Aim: We reported our experience with a rare and interesting subset of BD patients with venous involvement.

Methods: From 1994 to 2008, twenty eight cases of venous BD were found amongst BD patients in the department of internal medicine of Habib Thameur Hospital.

Results: 45 episodes of venous thrombosis occurred in 28 patients. There were 25 men and 3 women the mean age when venous involvement manifested was diagnosed was about 32.25. Venous thrombosis occur in the first five years following the diagnosis of BD. Pericarditis was more frequently noted in patients with venous BD than others without vasculo-Behcet disease. In contrast digestive and rheumatologic symptoms were more likely observed in patients without vasculo-Behcet disease. Thirteen patients underwent corticosteroids. Relapses occurred more frequently in patients without corticosteroid therapy.

Conclusion: Venous involvement is more frequently noted in vasculo-Behcet than arterial involvement. Its treatment should include anticoagulation in association with corticosteroids.