[Anatomopathologic evaluation of the pathergic reaction in Andalusian patients with Behçet's disease]

Pathergic reaction (PR) has been recently included in a system of diagnostic criteria for Behçet's disease (BD), justified for its high frequency in several countries like Turkey (58%). As in occidental countries it is much less common, we advise to evaluate its diagnostic usefulness in our country. An anatomopathological study of the PR in 23 patients with BD, and 14 healthy volunteers, was conducted. Punch samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosine and for immunofluorescence. Macroscopically, there was no PR in any person (neither patients nor controls). About half of the patients showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis and/or cellular infiltration (mainly neutrophilic). These findings are no specifics (they were seen in same controls) and have a low diagnostic sensitivity. Authors consider unsuitable the inclusion of PR, as an independent BD diagnostic criterion, in our country.