Antinuclear Antibodies in Patients with Behcet´s Disease

Abstract

Background: Behcet´s disease has features consistent with an immunopathogenic mechanism, but the autoreactivity in pathogenesis is unclear. Objective: This study was to investigate the association of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) with Behcet´s disease. Methods: The patients in this study were diagnosed at Severance Hospital Behcet´s Disease Specialty Clinic from May, 1998 to May, 2002. We evaluated the frequency, titers and immunofluorescence patterns of ANA in patients with Behcet´s disease, and compared the frequency with a healthy control group. According to the positivity of ANA, we compared the frequency of minor symptoms to investigate the association of the severity of disease with ANA. Results: 1. Of the 554 cases of Behtcet´s disease, 46 cases (8.3%) were ANA positive, however, of the 271 cases of healthy control group, only 5 cases (1.8%) were ANA positive. (p=0.0003) 2. In ANA titers 38 cases (82.6%) showed low titer (1:40+, 1:160-), 5 cases (10.9%) intermediate titer (1:160+, 1:640-), and 3 cases high titer (>1:640+). There was no significant difference in intermediate and high titers between complete (17.9%) and incomplete type (14.3%). 3. In immunofluorescence patterns of ANA, 17 cases (37%) were speckled pattern, 5 cases (10.9%) homogeneous pattern, 3 cases (6.5%) centromere pattern. 2 cases (4.3%) nucleolar pattern and 19 cases (41.3%) unknown pattern. 4. Of 508 cases with negative ANA patients, 272 cases (53.5%) had minor symptoms, however, of 46 cases with positive ANA patients, 14 cases (30.4%) had minor symptoms (p=0.0027). Conclusion: From this study ANA was more prevalent in Behcet´s disease. However, it was not related to severity of disease and most of them were low titer. ANA, herein, might play a minor role in pathogenesis of Beh~et´s disease.