CIRCULATING IMMUNE-COMPLEXES IN VARIOUS FORMS OF BEHCETS-DISEASE

Background. The etiology of Behcet's disease (sc) is uncertain but the re is strong evidence that the immune system is implicated in its path ogenesis. Methods. We assessed circulating immune complexes (CIC) in p eripheral blood of 34 patients with so, forming eight clinical groups, using a laser nephelometer to obtain more insight in the pathogenesis of different clinical forms of ED. Twenty healthy controls and eight patients with recurrent oral ulcerations were also included in the stu dy. Results. Levels of ac were significantly higher in patients (1.83 +/- 0.93 mu g/mL) than in controls (0.84 +/- 0.51 mu g/mL; P < 0.001). High titers were found in the groups of patients with erythema nodosu m (3.14 +/- 0.44 mu g/mL), neurologic manifestations (2.9 +/- 0.58 mu g/mL), and ocular manifestations (2.34 +/- 0.93 mu g/mL). Compared to patients with recurrent oral ulcerations (1.91 +/- 0.77 mu g/mL), the mean value of de in patients with so did not differ significantly, but the groups of patients having erythema nodosum, positive pathergy, an d neurologic manifestations had significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) and the group of patients at the mild end of the spectrum (group 8) h ad a significantly lower lever (1.09 +/- 0.41 mu g/mL) (P < 0.05), Onl y the groups having erythema nodosum, positive pathergy, and neurologi c manifestations had significantly higher levels of de when compared t o other groups lacking these clinical features, whereas group 8 had a significantly lower level (P < 0.05) when compared to all other groups . Conclusion. Our results show that cre may be involved in the pathoge nesis of ED, especially in those clinical forms of the disease with er ythema nodosum, neurologic manifestations, and ocular manifestations. Patients at the mild end of the so spectrum do not show significant ch anges in de levels compared to healthy control subjects. We can, there fore, suggest that in Bo de may be implicated more in the pathogenesis of some features than of others.