Comparison of the clinical outcomes between intestinal Behcet's disease and simple ulcer

Background : This study was performed to compare the clinical outcomes of intestinal Behcet's disease with a simple ulcer. Methods : We analyzed the medical records of 52 patients that were suspected as having intestinal Behcet's disease. Of these patients, 27 patients (Group 1) met both the criteria of the International Study Group for Behcet's Disease and the Behcet's Disease Research Committee of Japan. Thirteen patients (Group 2) met only the latter criteria and the other patients (Group 3) did not meet any criteria. The efficacy of medical treatment was assessed by the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms and follow-up colonoscopic findings. Results : The mean age for patients with a diagnosis of an intestinal lesion was 38.6±12.2 years. The sex ratio was 1.08:1 (M:F) and the mean follow-up duration was 35.2±39.5 months. A single, smaller than 5 mm, round and shallow ulcer with an erythematous margin that was located at the leocecal area showed most typical colonoscopic features for intestinal Behcet's disease. No significant differences were found in the clinical manifestations and colonoscopic findings among the three groups of patients. Nineteen (44%) patients achieved complere remission from a sumptomatic point of view and 10 (39%) patients were proved to be complete remission according to follow up colonoscopy after medical treatment. Eleven patients (21.2%) underwent surgery. The overall cumulative rates of a first surgery and re-surgery were 40.5% and 71.9% at 10 years. No statistical relationship was found in the response of medical treatment and the cumulative rate of surgery among the groups. Conclusions : The clinical course and outcomes of an intestinal simple ulcer are not different from that for intestinal Behcet's disease.