2024 | Salvatore Lavalle, Sebastiano Caruso, Roberta Foti, Caterina Gagliano, Salvatore Cocuzza, Luigi La Via, Federica Maria Parisi, Christian Calvo-Henriquez and Antonino Maniaci
Behçet's disease is a systemic inflammatory disorder with unknown etiology, characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, skin lesions, and uveitis. It can affect multiple organ systems, including the eyes, skin, joints, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. Diagnosis is primarily clinical due to the lack of a definitive test, and management involves a multidisciplinary approach to control inflammation and manage symptoms. Current treatment strategies include corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, and biological therapies. The disease is more prevalent along the Silk Road, suggesting a role of environmental and genetic factors. Despite progress in understanding its clinical features and treatment, gaps remain in understanding its pathogenesis. Future research is needed to elucidate the disease's pathophysiology and optimize treatment strategies. The management of Behçet's disease is complex, requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment aims to control inflammation and manage symptoms, with the choice of agents guided by the affected organs and disease severity. Common treatments include corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biological therapies. While remission is achievable, some patients experience severe complications such as blindness, vascular events, and neurological damage. Sustained collaborative efforts are essential to unlock the disease's mysteries. The advent of precision medicine and systems biology offers new opportunities for understanding and improving patient outcomes. This review explores the disease's pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment approaches, highlighting the need for further research to improve diagnosis and treatment. The review also discusses the impact of Behçet's disease on mental health, pregnancy, and fertility, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in managing the disease. The prognosis varies, with most patients leading normal lives with appropriate treatment. However, complications such as blindness and neurological damage can significantly affect quality of life. The disease's complex nature requires ongoing research to improve understanding and treatment.Behçet's disease is a systemic inflammatory disorder with unknown etiology, characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, skin lesions, and uveitis. It can affect multiple organ systems, including the eyes, skin, joints, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. Diagnosis is primarily clinical due to the lack of a definitive test, and management involves a multidisciplinary approach to control inflammation and manage symptoms. Current treatment strategies include corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, and biological therapies. The disease is more prevalent along the Silk Road, suggesting a role of environmental and genetic factors. Despite progress in understanding its clinical features and treatment, gaps remain in understanding its pathogenesis. Future research is needed to elucidate the disease's pathophysiology and optimize treatment strategies. The management of Behçet's disease is complex, requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment aims to control inflammation and manage symptoms, with the choice of agents guided by the affected organs and disease severity. Common treatments include corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biological therapies. While remission is achievable, some patients experience severe complications such as blindness, vascular events, and neurological damage. Sustained collaborative efforts are essential to unlock the disease's mysteries. The advent of precision medicine and systems biology offers new opportunities for understanding and improving patient outcomes. This review explores the disease's pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment approaches, highlighting the need for further research to improve diagnosis and treatment. The review also discusses the impact of Behçet's disease on mental health, pregnancy, and fertility, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in managing the disease. The prognosis varies, with most patients leading normal lives with appropriate treatment. However, complications such as blindness and neurological damage can significantly affect quality of life. The disease's complex nature requires ongoing research to improve understanding and treatment.