The diagnostic value of ultrasonographic vein wall thickness measurement in patients with Behçet's disease.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of vein wall thickness (VWT) measurement in the lower limb (LL) veins in Behçet's disease (BD) compared to controls and antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) patients.

Methods: A case control study was performed on 60 patients with BD and APLS, and 20 healthy volunteers matched in age and sex. All were subjected to demographic data recording, history taking, general and local examinations, Behçet's disease Current Activity Form to assess the disease activity, as well as measurement of VWT of LL veins by Doppler ultrasound (US).

Results: There were significant differences between the two patient groups and controls regarding the LL VWT that was higher in patients compared to controls, with insignificant differences between APLS and BD patient groups, and between BD subgroups regarding the VWT. The highest diagnostic accuracy of VWT measured by the US in the prediction of BD occurrence in patients against healthy controls was that of right femoral (0.906), at a cut-off point of 0.42, with specificity (100%) and sensitivity of 73% with 95% confidence interval (0.834~0.979, p<0.001).

Conclusion: VWT measurement by Doppler US may be an easy, rapid, and low cost diagnostic procedure for BD diagnosis at specific and sensitive cut-off points. We recommend that it be taken into consideration as a sensitive and accurate tool for the diagnosis of BD in suspected cases and among those with incomplete criteria of diagnosis.