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Chylothorax and chylopericardium as the initial clinical manifestation of Behcet's disease

H Moon1, Y J Lee, S I Lee

  • 1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Institute of Clinical Medicine, #634-18, Geum-Am Dong, Duck-Jin Gu, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 561-712, South Korea.

Rheumatology International
|August 4, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Large vein thrombosis, a rare complication of Behcet's disease (BD), can manifest initially with superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome, chylothorax, and chylopericardium in young males.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic systemic vasculitis affecting various blood vessels.
  • Large vein thrombosis is an uncommon manifestation of BD, typically involving lower extremity veins or the vena cava.

Observation:

  • A case report details an 18-year-old male presenting with superior vena cava (SVC) thrombosis.
  • The patient exhibited SVC syndrome, chylothorax, and chylopericardium prior to a BD diagnosis.

Findings:

  • SVC thrombosis complicated by chylothorax and chylopericardium can represent a rare initial presentation of Behcet's disease.
  • This presentation highlights the diverse and sometimes atypical clinical manifestations of BD.

Implications:

  • Early recognition of SVC thrombosis with associated complications is crucial for timely BD diagnosis.
  • This case expands the understanding of rare initial symptoms in Behcet's disease, aiding in earlier patient management.

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