Summary of the Third International Conference on Behçet's Disease, Tokyo, Japan, October 23-24, 1981

Behçet's disease was associated with HLA-B5, DR5, and MT2 antigens in Japanese. No virus or other agent was clearly implicated. Pathologic studies showed brainstem strokes and gut perforation from discrete ulcers. There was a significant reduction in T4 inducer-helper lymphocytes. Immune complexes in serum were detected in 30 to 50% of patients, and antibodies to the glycolipid GA1 were found in 91% of patients with neurologic involvement. Although several neutrophil functions were enhanced, for example, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and generation of oxygen intermediates, mononuclear cells seemed to be of primary immunopathogenic importance. Treatment with chlorambucil appeared superior to other reported treatments of uveitis and meningoencephalitis.