Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2009 Oct;68(10):1528-34.
doi: 10.1136/ard.2008.087957. Epub 2008 Apr 17.

Management of Behçet disease: a systematic literature review for the European League Against Rheumatism evidence-based recommendations for the management of Behçet disease

G Hatemi  1 , A Silman, D Bang, B Bodaghi, A M Chamberlain, A Gul, M H Houman, I Kötter, I Olivieri, C Salvarani, P P Sfikakis, A Siva, M R Stanford, N Stübiger, S Yurdakul, H Yazici
Affiliations
Review

Management of Behçet disease: a systematic literature review for the European League Against Rheumatism evidence-based recommendations for the management of Behçet disease

G Hatemi et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: To present and analyse the literature sources regarding the management of Behçet disease (BD) identified during the systematic literature research, which formed the basis for the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) evidence-based recommendations for the management of BD.

Methods: Problem areas and related keywords regarding the management of BD were determined by the multidisciplinary expert committee commissioned by EULAR for developing the recommendations. A systematic literature research was performed using MedLine and Cochrane Library resources through to December 2006. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials (RCTs), open studies, observational studies, case control studies and case series' involving > or = 5 patients were included. For each intervention the effect size and number needed to treat were calculated for efficacy. Odds ratios and numbers needed to harm were calculated for safety issues of different treatment modalities where possible.

Results: The literature research yielded 137 articles that met the inclusion criteria; 20 of these were RCTs. There was good evidence supporting the use of azathioprine and cyclosporin A in eye involvement and interferon (IFN)alpha in mucocutaneous involvement. There were no RCTs with IFNalpha or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha antagonists in eye involvement. Similarly controlled data for the management of vascular, gastrointestinal and neurological involvement is lacking.

Conclusion: Properly designed, controlled studies (new and confirmatory) are still needed to guide us in managing BD.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

MeSH terms

Substances