[Immunosuppressive therapy of Behcet's syndrome. Long term follow-up evaluation (author's transl)]

Abstract

18 patients suffering from Behcet's disease were treated with chlorambucil. In addition 6 patients who were threatened by acute and permanent blindness received antilymphocyte globulines. The follow-up varies from 1 to 12 years with an average of 4,5 years. Recovery from ocular inflammation was total in 14 patients, and partial in 4 patients. 6 eyes underwent an uneventful cataract extraction. None of the 8 one-eyed patients became blind. The mean improvement of visual acuity at the end of the follow-up period was 0,4. However recurrences occurred in 3 patients when the treatment was stopped. In this series blood cell tolerance was the major problems encountered. The results achieved in this series lead to confirm that chlorambucil and A.L.G. have dramatically improved the ocular prognosis of Behcet's disease. However chlorambucil must not be considered to be the ultimate answer to the treatment of Behcet's disease since recurrences occur when the treatment has been stopped. In addition to this, long term treatments with chlorambucil involve a high risk of severe blood complications.