Background/Purpose: Vascular involvement is seen in up to 40% of the patients with Behcet’s disease (BD), with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as the most frequent form of vascular involvement. Chronic post-thrombotic syndrome (CPTS) develops in up to one-half of patients with DVT and is associated with varying combinations of leg pain, oedema, hyperpigmentation and varicose collateral veins. There is no data about CPTS in DVT associated with BD. In this study,we aimed to evaluate venous disease spesific quality of life (QoL) in patients with Vascular Behçet’s Disease (VBD).

Methods: In this study, 62 patients (M/F: 47/15, mean age: 38.6±9.2 years) with VBD, who were regularly followed in Marmara University Behcet’s Clinics and 29 patients (M/F: 20/9, mean age: 41.6±11.8  years) with DVT associated with non-BD causes, who were followed in Hematology and Vascular Surgery Departments, were assessed. Mean duration after DVT was 6.7±5 years in VBD and 1.6±1 years in non-BD group. Venous Disability Score (VDS) and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) were used to evaluate the severity of venous insufficiency. Venous disease-specific QoL (the primary outcome) was measured using the Turkish validated form of Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study Quality of Life/Symptom questionnaire (VEINES-QoL/Sym). After calculation, VEINES-QoL and VEINES-Sym sub-scores were identified. Higher scores shows better QoL. SF-36 and Behcet Syndrome Activity Score (BSAS) questionnaires were also fullfilled for patients.

Results: VCSS and VDS were significantly worse in non-BD group compared to VBD, similarly VEINES-QoL and VEINES-Sym were significantly better in VBD group (Table 1). There were no correlations between VEINES-QoL, VEINES-Sym score and duration after DVT, daily sitting and standing times. VEINES-QoL and VEINES-Sym negatively correlated with VCSS (r: -0.367, p<0.001 and r:-0.384, p<0.001, respectively) and VDS (r: -0.288, p=0.007 and r:-0.265, p=0.013, respectively). VEINES-Sym and VEINES-QoL also significantly correlated with BSAS (r: -0.526, p<0.001 and r:-0.496, p<0.001, respectively). Physical and mental components of SF-36 were similar between VBD and non-BD groups.

Conclusion: In VBD, we observed that venous-specific QoL and symptoms worsen together with increasing VDS and VCSS scores. These results suggest that better control of disease activity may increase the QoL, as well as preventing the relapses in venous Behcet’s disease.

Table 1: Quality of life parameters in patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis associated with Behçet’s Disease and non-Behçet’s Group.

VCSS: Venous Clinical Severity Score, VDS: Venous Disability Score, MCS:Mental component of SF-36,  PCS: Physical component of SF-36, VEINES-QoL/Sym: Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study Quality of Life/Symptom questionnaire.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/venous-disease-specific-quality-of-life-is-impaired-in-patients-with-vascular-behcets-disease/