LAUSR

Background BehÇet’s disease is a chronic, recurrent and systemic vasculitis that may affect veins and arteries at all diameters. Small vessel involvement is responsible for most of its pathological signs. Objectives We aimed to compare the nailfold capillaroscopy findings of patients with BehÇet’s disease to a healthy control group and examine the relationships, as well as revealing the relationships with the sub-type, activity and other characteristics of BehÇet’s disease. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 153 patients with BehÇet’s disease and 165 healthy volunteers in a single center. The capillaroscopic findings of the 2nd-5th fingers of both hands of the participants in the BehÇet’s patients and control groups were included in the analysis. Capillaroscopic findings were evaluated by two different experts who were experienced in this field by using the scoring at Atlas of Capillaroscopy in Rheumatic diseases by Maurizio Cutolo (1). Results There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age or sex (respectively p=0.189 and p=0.585). There was no difference between the BehÇet’s patients and healthy volunteers in the qualitative analysis on capillary density, capillary visibility, aneurism, capillary tortuosity, capillary enlargement and presence of avascular areas (p values respectively: 0.610, 0.147, 0.481, 0.057, 0.514 and 0.110). In the BehÇet’s patients, bushy capillaries (24.2%, 37/153), capillary dilatation (32%, 49/153) and microhemorrhage (39.2%, (60/153) rates were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group (p<0.001). In the quantitative analysis, total capillaroscopy score was significantly higher in the BehÇet’s patients than those in the healthy control group (p<0.001) (Table 1). No statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of clinical signs and capillaroscopy scores, except for erythema nodosum. Conclusion: the BehÇet’s patients had significantly higher total capillaroscopy scores in comparison to those in the healthy control group. Based on these data, we believe that the capillaroscopic changes found in BehÇet’s patients, though unspecific, may support clinical diagnosis in uncertain cases where BehÇet’s disease is considered as a probability. There is a need for well-planned prospective studies to support this our thought. References [1] Cutolo M. Atlas of Capillaroscopy in Rheumatic Diseases. Elsevier, Milan 2010, 77-86 Keywords BehÇet’s disease, nailfold, vasculitis, videocapillaroscopyAbstract AB1091 Table 1 The results of the quantitative evaluation of nailfold capillaroscopic findings BehÇet’s patientsN=153 Healthy controlsN=165 p Irregularly enlarged capillary score* 0 (0-0.44) 0 (0-0.25) < 0.001 Giant capillary score* 0 (0-0.13) 0 (0-0.13) 0.517 Microhemorrhage score * 0 (0-0.63) 0 (0-0.19) < 0.001 Capillary number score * 0 (0-0.88) 0 (0-0.25) < 0.001 Capillary ramification score * 0 (0-0.75) 0 (0-0.25) 0.224 Disorganize capillary score* 0 (0-0.44) 0 (0-0.25) < 0.001 Total capillaroscopy score* 0.16 (0-1.75) 0 (0-0.50) < 0.001 *Data were given as median (minimum - maximum)Abstract AB1091 Table 2 The relationship between clinical findings and total capillaroscopy scores Total Capillaroscopy Score p Present Absent Vasculer involvement (n=54/99) * 0.19 (0-1,48) 0.13 (0-1,75) 0.814 Oculer involvement (n=64/89) * 0.19 (0-1,48) 0.13 (0-1,75) 0.358 Neurological involvement (n=12/141) * 0.19 (0,6-1,48) 0.13 (0-1,75) 0.222 Genital ulcer (n=131/22) * 0.19 (0-1.75) 0.13 (0-1.48) 0.121 Erythema nodosum (99/54) * 0.13 (0-1.75) 0.19 (0-1.48) 0.026 Papulopustular eruption (n=119/34) * 0.19 (0-1.75) 0.13 (0-1.2) 0.238 N, number of patients, *Data were given as median (minimum - maximum) Disclosure of Interests None declared