Behcet's disease is a chronic relapsing disease, the most common disease in Japan and the Mediterranean states. Most often it develops in people aged 30 - 40 years. This disease belongs to the vasculitis group and has an undefined etiology.
Causes of Behcet's Disease
The development of the disease is associated with several predisposing factors, among which are the following:
- genetic predisposition;
- herpes and streptococcal infection ;
- autoimmune factor.
Most experts believe that the onset of Behçet's disease is provoked by infectious factors, and in the future, autoimmune mechanisms are attached to them, provided hereditary predisposition.
Symptoms of Behcet's disease in women
This disease is characterized by polysimptomicity. In this case, the main signs, through which you can make an accurate diagnosis, are associated with damage to the mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals, as well as inflammatory processes in the eyes. Consider all the manifestations of Behçet's disease in more detail.
Oral cavity damage
Initially, small vesicles with cloudy contents appear on lips, sky, tongue, gums, pharynx, inner surface of cheeks, which are subsequently opened. In place of the vesicles, round, painful sores (aphthae) of bright pink color are formed, the size of which can reach 2 cm in diameter. The healing of sores occurs about a month later, with 3-4 times a year the lesion recurs.
Genital lesions
Women on the mucous membrane of the vagina and vulva form sores, often painful, similar to those that appear in the mouth. After healing, scars may remain in their place.
Disorders of vision
These manifestations appear several weeks after the symptoms in the oral cavity. Patients can develop inflammation of the iris and ciliary body of the eyeball, inflammation of the vascular and mucous membranes of the eye, inflammation of the cornea. Often there are the following symptoms: photophobia, blurred vision, increased lacrimation.
Cutaneous manifestations
Nodular erythema, pyoderma, papulo-vesicular rash may appear. Also in some cases, nests hair loss, subungual panaritium is observed.
Disorders of the musculoskeletal system
There is development of arthritis (often lower extremities) without destructive phenomena.
Neurological symptoms
There are phenomena of cranial nerve damage, the development of meningoencephalitis, edema of the optic nerve disk, the appearance of hemiparesis.
Intravascular inflammatory changes
Characteristic of the development of vasculitis, thrombophlebitis of the veins on the legs, thrombosis of the hepatic veins and thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery, aortic aneurysm, etc.
With lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and lungs, there may be such symptoms:
- nausea;
- diarrhea;
- hemoptysis;
- pain in the heart, etc.
Treatment of Behcet's Disease
The treatment of Behcet's disease, first of all, is aimed at maximizing the patient's life, achieving a long-term remission and preventing irreversible changes in the internal organs.
Ulcerative manifestations of Behcet's syndrome in the oral cavity and on the genitals are subject to local treatment with the use of glucocorticosteroids , antiseptic solutions, and sometimes - antipodal agents. Also for the treatment of the disease, cytostatic agents, immunosuppressors, vitamins can be prescribed. Vascular damage is treated by surgical methods. Many patients are prescribed extracorporal hemocorrection. Treatment is carried out under constant medical supervision.