ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES AND RETINAL VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN BEHCETS-DISEASE

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Intravascular thrombosis is a well-recognize d feature of Behcet's disease (BD). In this study, the existence of a connection between serum anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies and retinal vascular complications in BD is investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Se rum aCL antibody levels were quantified in 31 patients with BD, all of whom fulfilled the major criteria of the disease. Patients were evalu ated in terms of retinal vascular complications. Serum aCL antibody le vels were determined through the ELISA method. Statistical analysis wa s performed with the chi-squared test and the Fisher exact test. RESUL TS: Of 12 patients with high aCL antibody levels, retinal vascular thr ombosis was detected in 5 and retinal vasculitis was present in 8. How ever, there was no statistically significant relation between these co mplications and serum aCL antibody elevation (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Ba sed on this series of 31 patients with BD, there does not seem to be a significant correlation between retinal vascular complications and se rum aCL antibody levels.