GENETIC ANTICIPATION IN BEHCETS-SYNDROME

Objective-To examine the presence of genetic anticipation in families with Behcet's syndrome (BS). Methods-A total of 18 families with 40 af fected members in two successive generations were evaluated by intervi ewing them for their ages at the onset of the first symptom of BS and for their ages at the time they fulfilled the diagnostic criteria. Res ults-It was noted that the age of onset of the first symptom was lower in the second generation in 14 families (p=0.01) with a mean (SD) age of 20.57 (7.47) years in the children compared with 33.29 (9.92) year s in the parents (t=7.79, p<0.0001), whereas the diagnostic criteria w ere fulfilled at an earlier age in the children in 15 families (p=0.01 ) with a mean age of 21.2 (6.74) years in the children compared with 3 6.4 (9.55) years in the parents (t=7.41, p<0.0001). Conclusion-Genetic anticipation was present in 15 of 18 (84%) of the families with BS in the form of earlier disease onset in the children compared with their parents.