Characteristics of late-onset Behçet's disease and comparison with juvenile and adult-onset Behçet's disease.

Background: The course of late-onset Behçet's disease (LBD) is unknown. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and systemic involvement of LBD.

Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional, and comparative study, 700 patient files from 4100 patients diagnosed with Behçet's disease (BD) were selected and divided into three groups: LBD, adult BD (ABD), and juvenile BD (JBD). The age limits for LBD and JBD were determined to be 42 and 16, respectively. LBD patients were compared to ABD and JBD patients in terms of demographics, systemic involvement, and disease duration.

Results: The LBD rate among BD patients was 4.7% (183/4,100). The time from initial symptom occurrence to the age at which the BD criteria were met was longer in LBD than in ABD or JBD. Except for genital ulcers, the frequencies of involvement in LBD were similar to those in ABD and JBD. The frequency of family history was significantly lower in LBD (12%) than in ABD (15.9%) or JBD (18.2%). The time from the initial symptom to oral aphthae, genital ulcers, and eye involvement was longer in LBD than in ABD or JBD. Furthermore, erythema nodosum was observed after a longer duration in LBD than in ABD.

Conclusion: Considering that involvement occurs much later in LBD and there are no differences in the frequencies of involvement except for genital ulcers, LBD patients should be followed up as closely as ABD and JBD patients.