Do Routine Laboratory Parameters Predict the Disease Activity in Children with Behçet’s Disease?

Objective. Juvenile Behçet’s disease (jBD) is a multi-systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of oral and genital aphthae, and cutaneous, gastrointestinal, neurological, articular, ocular and vascular manifestations. The main aim of this study was to assess the value of routine laboratory parameters for predicting disease activity in children with jBD. Methods. The demographic features and laboratory findings, including white blood cell, neutrophil (NEU), lymphocyte (LYM) and platelet (PLT) counts, neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/ lymphocyte ratio (PLR), mean platelet volume/platelet ratio (MPR) values were retrospectively evaluated between jBD patients with active and inactive, and compared with those in healthy peers. Inactive jBD was accepted as the absence of any clinical symptoms, while active jBD was accepted as presence of at least two clinical symptoms related with jBD. Results. Thirty six patients with jBD, and 58 sex-and age-matched healthy children were enrolled into this study. Median age at diagnosis of jBD was 13 (min – max: 5-17) years. 12 patients had active and remaining 24 inactive disease at enrollment. Active jBD group had significantly higher mean values for NLR, PLR, and lower MPV compared to inactive patients (p= 0.026, p= 0.039, and p= 0.07, respectively). PLR was revealed as an independent factor for predicting disease activity in jBD patients (p= 0.035, OR [95% Cl] = 0.988 [0.978-0.999]). Conclusion. This study has shown that active jBD patients had increased values of NLR and PLR. Among them PLR was the possible risk predictor for disease activity. These parameters are easily accessible inflammatory markers that may help detecting active disease in the early phase to prevent complications and to guide the therapy.