Evaluation of Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Behçet's Disease by Using Noninvasive Radiological Methods such as Intima-Media Thickness of the Carotid, Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index, Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring, and Their Relation to Serum Fetuin-A Levels: A Case-Control Study

• Published in: Annals of dermatology Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 702 - 708
• Main Authors: Uyar, Belkız, Solak, Aynur, Genç, Berhan, Akyıldız, Muhittin, Şahin, Neslin, Uyar, İhsan Sami, Saklamaz, Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Dermatological Association; The Korean Society for Investigative Dermatology 01.12.2015; 대한피부과학회
• Subjects: Original; 피부과학; Behçet's disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Ankle brachial index; Alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein; Carotid intima-media thickness
• ISSN: 1013-9087; 2005-3894
• DOI: 10.5021/ad.2015.27.6.702

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory systemic vasculitis. Evidence for increased atherosclerosis in BD has been observed. The relation between cardiovascular risk factors and increased atherosclerosis in patients with BD is still controversial. We performed this study to evaluate arterial stiffness in patients with BD by using noninvasive radiological methods such as carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI), coronary artery calcium score (CACaS), and their relation to serum fetuin-A levels, which was recently found to be important in vascular calcification. This prospective study included 26 patients with BD and 25 control subjects. In all patients, the CIMT, ABPI, CACaS, and serum fetuin-A levels were examined. The CIMT and CACaS were statistically higher and the ABPI was statistically lower in BD patients than in the control group. All p-values were <0.001. Positive correlations were found between the CACaS and CIMT, and negative correlations were found between the CACaS and ABPI. Although the values of fetuin-A were higher in BD, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.064). However, the correlations found between fetuin-A levels and CIMT and between fetuin-A levels and CACaS were significant. The CIMT, CACaS, and ABPI are all useful in detecting structural and functional vascular damage in BD.