Prognosis for Behcet’s disease | Behcet’s disease

Prognosis for Behcet’s disease

Behcet’s disease is one of the chronic diseases. The disease often occurs in relapses, i.e. those affected have phases in which the symptoms are only mild to barely perceptible and then also phases in which the symptoms typical of the disease become more pronounced. In contrast to acute diseases, there is no clearly defined endpoint.

In the case of Behcet’s disease, only the symptoms and not the causes can be treated. It is not possible to determine the exact duration of drug treatment. However, it is a matter of years or the treatment can last the whole life of a person affected.

The disease has weakened the immune system, which can make the patient more susceptible to various other diseases. If the disease was diagnosed in childhood, the symptom-free periods may become longer and longer. In some patients, a subsiding of Behcet’s disease is also observed.

However, it is not possible to make a generally valid prognosis; the course of the disease is too individual for that. It is also possible that complications may occur during the course of the disease, especially in the eyes. However, a reduced life expectancy due to the disease cannot be assumed.

Causes of Behcet’s disease

Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to conclusively clarify the causes of Behcet’s disease. However, the cause probably lies in an autoimmune disease, which leads to an inflammation of the vessels. For this reason, the disease is classified as a rheumatic disease, since autoimmune reactions also lead to inflammation, for example in the joints.

A genetic predisposition is also suspected in those affected, as the disease is more common in certain local areas. Due to the genetic predisposition, the immune system, which is supposed to protect the body from invading viruses and bacteria, is no longer able to function properly. It recognizes the body’s own tissue as an intruder and therefore attacks it.

It therefore fights itself. This leads to the inflammatory reactions. In Behcet’s disease, these disturbed autoimmune reactions are found in the small vessels. As a result, the inflammation occurs particularly in the skin, in the mucous membrane (mucus-forming tissue that lines the digestive, genital and urinary organs) and in the eye. Scientists suspect that external influences, such as bacterial and viral inflammation, also play a role.