CURRENT CONCEPTS IN THE TREATMENT OF ADAMANTIADES-BEHCET'S DISEASE

Adamantiades-Behcet's disease is a systemic vascular reaction/vasculitis of unknown etiology, which is characterized by periodically recurrent oral aphthous ulcers; genital ulcers, ocular inflammation that con be sigh t- threatening and various skin lesions, the most common of which are folliculitis and erythema nodosum. The disease con also affect a variety of other organs, including the central nervous system, the blood vessels and the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, leading to life-threatening complications. Early appropriate treatment is of major prognostic importance, should be based on both the type and the severity of lesions and focus on the most severe manifestation. This overview describes the present state of treatment regimens for Adamantiodes-Behcet's disease. The number of randomized, controlled studies that hove been conducted in this disease is limited. Topical sucralfate, rebamipide, colchicine, penicillin C benzathine plus colchicine, dopsone, thalidomide, azothioprine and interferon alfa have been found to be effective for orogenital ulcerations, whereas etanercept is used for oral ulcerations. Dapsone, thalidomide, interferon alfa and etanercept were shown to be effective against papulopustular lesions. Depot methylprednisolone, colchicine and penicillin G benzathine plus colchicine or dopsone were effective against erythema nodosum. Ciclosporin and azathioprine hove shown a favorable effect on uveitis in randomized, controlled studies, while interferon alfa and tumor necrosis factor antagonists hove revealed marked efficacy in retrospective studies or case series. Colchicine and azathioprine proved effective against arthritis. Finally, treatment options for voscular, neurological and gastrointestinal disease ore based on open and observational studies or case reports. Properly designed controlled studies in Adamantiades-Behcet's disease are required in order to generate optimal treatment plans for acute/chronic management and prevention of recurrence.