Inflammatory optic neuropathy in Behçet's disease

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neurology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem inflammatory disorder.
• Inflammatory optic neuropathy (ON) is an uncommon manifestation of BD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical features of inflammatory ON in Behçet's disease patients.
• To analyze the association between inflammatory ON and other BD manifestations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 440 Behçet's disease patients.
• Diagnosis of inflammatory ON based on clinical exam, visual field, and visual evoked potentials.
• Comparative analysis between patients with and without inflammatory ON.

Main Results:

• Ten patients (2.3%) presented inflammatory ON, often as an initial symptom.
• Blurred vision and periorbital pain were common; some patients had no ocular symptoms.
• Inflammatory ON was significantly associated with neurological involvement and increased disease severity.

Conclusions:

• Inflammatory ON in BD is rare, potentially underestimated, and can occur early.
• Visual evoked potentials may serve as a valuable screening tool for early detection.