Novel Diagnostic Approaches to Adamantiades-Behcet's Disease

Abstract

A 10 year old boy had visual deterioration in both eyes. Visual acuity was 0.2 in the right and 0.3 in the left eye. Further ophthalmologic findings were typical of posterior uveitis. The pediatric physical examination also disclosed aphthous stomatitis and recurrent aphthous genital ulcers. At diagnosis serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, sIL-2R, MCP-1, VEGF, tADA activity in the patient with active and ABD relapse were significantly higher than those in the inactive period of the disease, suggesting that these parameters may be related to disease activity. In addition to the proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines, plasma levels of VEGF and serum tADA activity may be used for the diagnosis of ABD and for monitoring the effect of treatment, as well as the follow-up period. Also, further studies of VEGF may lead to novel therapies with antibodies or other VEGF inhibitors.