Behçet's syndrome was defined by professor of dermatology Hulusi Behçet (1889-1948) in 1937 in three patients with oral ulcer, genital ulcer and uveitis. Our knowledge about Behçet's syndrome has increased rapidly in the last 30 years. The symptoms of the syndrome are recurrent. These are aphthous ulcers in the mouth, ulcers in the genital area, uveitis and/or vasculitis that may affect all layers of the eye, intermittent arthritis that may mostly affect large joints of lower extremities, acneiform lesions and/or erythema nodosum lesions on the skin, respectively. More rarely, vasculitis and/or thrombosis in the arterial and venous system, lesions in the central nervous system, thrombosis in the pulmonary system and/or arterial aneurysms, and inflammation in the gastrointestinal system may also occur with Behçet's syndrome. The disease is more common in the Middle East, Mediterranean countries and along the Silk Road around the world.
There is no specific laboratory test. The pathergy test can help establish a diagnosis. There are findings demonstrating a genetic transition, and there is an association, especially between the HLA-B51 gene and Behçet's syndrome.
Recurrent oral ulcers are most common symptoms of Behçet's syndrome. The incidence of recurrent oral aphthae in Türkiye was found to be 13 percent in a community-based study of the Society of Internal Medicine (unpublished data). The incidence of Behçet's syndrome is stated to be a maximum of 0.37 percent.
Ref: Prevention and Control of Musculoskeletal System Diseases Program of Türkiye (2015-2020).