Anticardiolipin antibodies and retinal vascular complications in Behçet's disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Intravascular thrombosis is a well-recognized feature of Behçet's disease (BD). In this study, the existence of a connection between serum anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies and retinal vascular complications in BD is investigated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Serum aCL antibody levels were quantified in 31 patients with BD, all of whom fulfilled the major criteria of the disease. Patients were evaluated in terms of retinal vascular complications. Serum aCL antibody levels were determined through the ELISA method. Statistical analysis was performed with the chi-squared test and the Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

Of 12 patients with high aCL antibody levels, retinal vascular thrombosis was detected in 5 and retinal vasculitis was present in 8. However, there was no statistically significant relation between these complications and serum aCL antibody elevation (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

Based on this series of 31 patients with BD, there does not seem to be a significant correlation between retinal vascular complications and serum aCL antibody levels.