Vaskulárna medicína 2/2016

Behçet’s disease – case of ileofemoral vein thrombosis in a young man with rare vasculitis

Proximal phlebothrombosis is a relatively frequent diagnosis in angiology outpatient department and its causes can be obvious already at the first visit. However, in this article author introduces a case report of a young patient with a lower limb phlebothrombosis and pulmonary embolism, ischemic opticoneuropathy and aphtosis, which was caused by Behçet’s disease, a rare vasculitis with a life – threatening complications. Behçet’s disease is a rare chronic multi-system inflammatory disorder of unclear aetiology, that affects blood vessels of all types and sizes. Clinical picture is characterised by recurrent severe aphthous stomatitis, genital ulcers, migrating thrombophlebitis, uveitis, as well as arterial and venous thrombosis. In addition, the musculoskeletal, nervous and gastrointestinal system might be affected. Up to this day, no specific diagnostic test exists, hence the diagnosis relies solely on clinical diagnostic criteria. There is no causative treatment available so far and the therapy consists of a general immunosuppressive approach. The choice of immunosupressive is governed by two aspects: the level of the disease´s activity and the most affected organ system. The paper attempts to highlight a rare aetiological cause of extensive deep venous thrombosis, which should be considered especially in young patients suffering from arterial or venous thrombosis accompanied by an unusual clinical presentation.

Keywords: Behçet’s disease, iliofemoral phlebothrombosis, aphthous ulcers