Thoracic Manifestations of the Angiobehçet

Abstract

Introduction: Vascular involvement in Behçet's disease affects 5 to 40% of patients. All vessels regardless of their type, size or location can be affected. This impairment is serious and can be life-threatening.Patients and methods: We collected 12 cases from January 2010 to January 2017. These were 11 men and 1 woman with an average age of 32.5 years. The venous involvement involved 11 patients with thrombosis of the upper vena cava (VCS) in 6 patients, thrombophlebitis of the lower limbs in 5 patients, and thrombosis of the lower vena cava and hepatic veins in 1 patient. The arterial involvement affected 9 patients (75%) with an aneurysm of the pulmonary arteries in 5 patients and a pulmonary embolism in 5 others. The cardiac involvement concerned half of the patients with pericarditis type in 3 patients and intra-cardiac thrombus in 4 patients.Conclusion: Thoracic involvement of the angiobehçet is frequent and severe, requiring rapid diagnosis and intense specific therapy to improve its prognosis.