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Background: Behçet’s disease is a chronic multisystemic disorder which is characterized by a relapsing systemic inflammatory process. One of the features of Behçet’s disease is endothelial dysfunction resulting from many factors. Objective and Methods: We conducted this study to show if there is any change of plasma nitrite and nitrate levels by using the enzymatic-spectrophotometric method as an indicator for nitric oxide (NO) production, considering the disease activity in patients with Behçet’s disease. The study group consisted 21 patients and 20 healthy control subjects. We measured plasma nitrite and nitrate levels, and some acute-phase reactants including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-2-macroglobulin and the neutrophil count. Blood samples were drawn before and after treatment of the patients. Results: Nitrite, nitrate and nitrite + nitrate levels in the active period of the disease were found to be decreased compared to the inactive period and the control group. No significant differences were observed in plasma nitrite and nitrate levels between the inactive period and the control group. Conclusion: It was concluded that decreased NO production in patients with Behçet’s disease may have critical biological activities relevant to pathologic events in the active period of the disease.

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Background: Change of lipids and lipoprotein metabolism and an imbalance of the oxidant-antioxidant system related to the disease activity have been reported in Behçet’s disease. Therefore, there is a tendency of oxidative modification of lipids and lipoproteins in patients with the disease. Objective: To investigate serum autoantibodies against oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) as a marker for the degree of in vivo oxidation of lipoproteins in Behçet’s disease. Methods: Serum autoantibodies against oxLDL, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein (Apo) AI, Apo B, α₁-antitrypsin, α₂-macroglobulin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were determined in 37 patients and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers. Autoantibodies against oxLDL were measured by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum autoantibody levels against oxLDL were significantly higher in patients than in controls (425 ± 365 and 187 ± 132 mU/ml, respectively; p < 0.05). The levels of autoantibodies against oxLDL in the patients were found to correlate with total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and α₁-antitrypsin levels (r = 0.38, p < 0.05; r = 0.42, p < 0.05; r = –0.38, p < 0.05; r = 0.42, p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion: It has been shown in previous studies that high autoantibody titers against oxLDL may be important in diseases with atherosclerosis as seen in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. High autoantibody titers against oxLDL are not specific for Behçet’s disease but probably important for pathologic processes in the disease. We suggest that increased levels of autoantibodies against oxLDL may be a factor responsible for endothelial dysfunction and development of vascular pathology in Behçet’s disease.