A reassessment of the International Study Group criteria for the diagnosis(classification) of Behcet's syndrome

Objective Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) we re not represented in the diseased controls group that had been utilised in the development of the International Study Group (ISG) criteria for the di agnosis of Behcet's syndrome (BS). Having similar features, both of these c onditions can pose problems in the differential diagnosis of BS. Moreover t here has been a recent awareness of coexistence of BS and familial Mediterr anean fever (FMF). The aim of this study was to reassess the performance of ISG criteria among patients with BS and other rheumatological conditions, specifically including those with CD, UC, and FMF Methods 302 consecutive patients with BS and 438 patients with other rheuma tological conditions were surveyed for the presence or absence of the featu res of BS by, means of a standard form which had been prepared according to ISG criteria. All control patients with a history, of oral ulcer had a pat hergy test and an eye examination by an experienced ophthalmologist with a slit lamp. The sensitivity and specificity of the ISG criteria were calcula ted. Results Seven of 302 patients with BS (2%) did not fulfil the ISG criteria while 5 of 438 controls (1%) fulfilled the ISG criteria. Conclusion In this study ISG criteria performed p well in correctly classif ying BS. Further specificity studies might be considered in CD.