Thrombophilia and Thrombosis in Behçet's Disease

Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis that can affect all types of blood vessels in the body. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of hereditary thrombophilic factors that increase the risk of thrombosis in patients with Behçet's disease by comparing them with a healthy control group.

This is a prospective cross-sectional study. We obtained peripheral blood samples from patients with Behçet's disease who visited our dermatology clinic within the last 15 months. We then genetically analyzed these samples using a thrombophilia kit in our medical genetics laboratory and statistically compared them with a healthy control group.

A total of 197 participants were included in the study, comprising 98 Behçet's disease patients and 99 healthy controls. While the rate of the MTHFR (C677T) homozygous gene mutation was higher in the Behçet disease group (8.2%, n = 8) than in the healthy control group (5.1%, n = 5), no statistical difference was found between the two groups. No statistical difference was found between the two groups in terms of factor 13 mutation levels. The factor 2 mutation rate was higher in the Behçet group (5.1%, n = 5) than in the healthy control group, but no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. The factor V Leiden mutation was detected as heterozygous in 9.2% of patients with Behçet's disease.

Certain gene mutations were found at higher rates in our Behçet's patients than in the general population. It may be important to evaluate hereditary thrombophilic factors in Turkish Behçet's patients for managing complications.