Behçet's disease in the etiology of Budd-Chiari disease

Hepatic venous outflow obstruction (Budd-Chiari syndrome-BCS) was diagnosed in 30 patients during the period from March, 1987, to May, 1991, in Hacettepe University Hospital, Turkey. Patients with Behçet's disease constituted the major group (12/30) in the etiologic distribution. Although the vascular manifestations of Behçet's disease, including venous and arterial occlusions, varices, and aneurysms, are well known, the hepatic vein involvement has been reported in only 22 cases in the literature so far. The authors present 30 cases of BCS, of whom patients with Behçet's disease comprise the largest group (40%). The angiographic findings are not specific to Behçet's disease. It is noted, however, that inferior vena cava involvement is more common in these patients (83.3%) than it is in the rest of the group (61.1%). It is suggested that Behçet's disease should be included among the diagnostic possibilities in a case of BCS, particularly in the countries in which it is prevalent.