Cardiovascular prognostic value of vascular involvement in Behcet's disease

Int J Cardiol. 2008 Apr 25;125(3):428-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2007.01.057. Epub 2007 Apr 3.

Abstract

We measured carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD), and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in 38 Behcet's disease (BD) patients without vascular involvement, 15 BD patients with vascular involvement, and 35 control subjects. BD patients with and without vascular involvement were similar regarding carotid IMT (0.52+/-0.14; 0.51+/-0.09; 0.46+/-0.09; P=0.051), and brachial FMD (16.3+/-6.8; 16.5+/-9.1). CFR values were significantly impaired in BD patients compared to the controls; however the BD patients with and without vascular involvement were similar regarding CFR (2.66+/-0.45; 2.62+/-0.48; 2.91+/-0.53, P=0.007 with and without vascular involvement and the controls, respectively). Endothelial and coronary microvascular functions are compromised in BD patients without vascular involvement as remarkably as that in patients with vascular involvement.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Behcet Syndrome / physiopathology*
  • Blood Flow Velocity / physiology
  • Brachial Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis
  • Carotid Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood
  • Coronary Circulation / physiology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Tunica Intima / diagnostic imaging
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Triglycerides
  • C-Reactive Protein