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The Association of Pathergy Reaction and Active Clinical Presentations of Behcet's Disease Publisher



Assar S1 ; Sadeghi B2 ; Davatchi F2 ; Zahra Ghodsi S2 ; Nadji A2 ; Shahram F2 ; Ashofte F2 ; Larimi SR2 ; Sadeghi M3
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Clinical Research Development Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, 6715932102, Iran
  2. 2. Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Medical Biology Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Source: Reumatologia Published:2017


Abstract

Objectives: The pathergy skin test is a hypersensitivity reaction to a prick skin trauma caused by a pin or a needle, which is considered as a specific presentation in Behcet's disease (BD) and the precise mechanism of this test is not well elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the association of pathergy reaction (PR) with the active clinical manifestations of BD patients, to assess the clinical importance of PR. Materials and methods: This was a cohort study on 1675 BD patients who fulfilled the entry criteria based on the International Criteria for Behcet's Disease (ICBD) from 1975 to 2011. The patients were divided into two groups; the pathergy positive group included 841 patients (50.2%) and the pathergy negative group 834 patients (49.8%). The active mucocutaneous and systemic disease manifestations were analyzed according to the presence of the PR. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated for each item. Results: In this study, 841 patients (50.2%) had a positive pathergy test. Patient's mean age and mean disease duration were similar in the two groups (pathergy positive and pathergy negative patients). There was no association between positive pathergy test and age of patients, or disease duration. The PR was associated with male gender (p = 0.013), oral aphthosis (p < 0.001), pseudofolliculitis (p < 0.001), anterior uveitis (p = 0.001) and posterior uveitis (p = 0.028). Conclusions: The presence of PR was associated with male gender, as well as some of mucocutaneous manifestations and uveitis in adult patients. There was no association with retinitis and vascular involvements. PR isn't associated with the severity of the disease.