Intima-Media Thickness and Arterial Distensibility in Behçet’s Disease

Abstract

The etiology of Behçet's disease, a systemic vasculitis, is unknown. Vascular involvement may be seen in 25% of patients with Behçet's disease. Vasculitis make the prognosis of Behçet's disease severe. The aim of this study is to examine the structural and functional changes and relations of these changes with progression and prognosis of Behçet's disease. For this purpose, 40 patients with Behçet's disease and 40 healthy volunteer control subjects were analyzed, additionally patients with Behçet's disease were divided into 2 subgroups as those with vascular complications and those without vascular complications. Intima-media thickness and arterial distensibility were measured in all subjects with carotid artery ultrasonography. Carotid artery distensibility was significantly lower in the patient group compared to the control group (0.67 +/- 0.2, 0.93 +/- 0.4, p < 0.05), and carotid artery IMT was significantly higher (0.59 +/- 12, 0.80 +/- 0.11, p < 0.05). A statistically significant increase in IMT has been detected (0.77 +/- 11, 0.86 +/- 11, p < 0.05) in patients with Behçet's disease with vascular involvement compared to patients with Behçet's disease without vascular involvement, arterial distensibility in patients with vascular disease was similar with those who has no vascular disease (0.69 +/- 0.25, 0.63 +/- 0.25, p > 0.05). There was a significant negative linear regression between arterial distensibility and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (B = -1 x 10(-2), p < 0.05), and a significant positive linear regression has also been found between IMT and SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) (B = 6.8 x 10(-3) for SBP, p < 0.05, B = 6.9 x 10(-3) for DBP, p < 0.05, B = 6 x 10(-3) for PP, p < 0.05). As a result, IMT increases and AD decreases in patients with Behçet's disease compared to results in the control group. Although more studies are required for this subject, use of noninvasive parameters such as IMT and AD, which reflect the structural and functional characteristics of vasculature, may be useful to define disease progression and subjects at high risk.

Carotid artery stiffness in Behçet’s disease

“…cIMT has been reported to be high in some studies on BD (13,(25)(26)(27)(28). However, this high value has not been detected in other studies (14, 29-31).…”

Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Behçet’s Disease

“…[9] The use of noninvasive parameters such as IMT may be useful in defining disease progression and identifying BD subjects at high risk. [10] The data from patients with active BD may be compatible with the serum lipid profile, which is accepted as a risk for the development of atherothrombosis. [11] Dyslipidemia, especially in the form of hypertriglyceridemia, might be a risk factor and has proven to be the best marker for the occurrence of thrombosis in patients with BD.…”

An Assessment of Flow-Mediated Dilatation in Behçet’s Disease

“…[3][4][5][6][17][18][19] Previous studies have reported a predisposition toward the development of atherosclerosis in BD, [8][9][10] and in these disease states, hardening of the arteries generally occurs at a younger age. [3][4][5][6] Many changes occur in the arterial wall before the clinical findings of atherosclerotic diseases become evident.…”

“…[8][9][10][21][22][23][24][25][26] Increased values of IMT with BD have been reported in some studies. [7][8][9] Alan et al [8] also proved the existence of decreased arterial distensibility in BD, and Rhee et al [22] detected increased arterial stiffness in BD. Akçar et al [26] reported lower peak systolic and end-diastolic flow velocities throughout internal carotid artery.…”

“…[3][4][5][6] Atherosclerosis is widely accepted as a low-grade chronic inflammatory disorder, [3,7] and previous studies have reported a predisposition to its development in BD. [8][9][10] By the time clinical findings of atherosclerosis appear, the disease is at an advanced stage, and treatment is palliative. [11] Endothelial cell dysfunction (ECD) is an important marker of atherosclerosis, and it also plays an important role in the development of vascular involvement in BD.…”