Central nervous system symptoms in patients with Behçet disease receiving cyclosporine therapy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between the development of central nervous system (CNS) symptoms in patients with Behçet disease and medical therapy.

DESIGN:

Retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS:

A total of 317 patients with Behçet disease with ocular complications who visited Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan, between 1978 and 1994.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The incidence of CNS symptoms in different medical therapies.

RESULTS:

Twenty-one (6.6%) of the 317 patients developed CNS symptoms, namely neuro-Behçet disease. Of the 21 patients, 12 were undergoing cyclosporine therapy. Of the 47 patients who underwent cyclosporine therapy, 12 (25.5%) developed CNS symptoms, whereas only 9 (3.3%) of 270 patients who did not undergo cyclosporine therapy developed CNS symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS:

Cyclosporine in the treatment of Behçet disease appears to cause neurotoxicity or to accelerate the development of CNS symptoms. Thus, neurologic complications appear to represent a major side effect of cyclosporine in the treatment of patients with Behçet disease.

• Authors: S Kotake, K Higashi, K Yoshikawa, Y Sasamoto, T Okamoto, H Matsuda
• Journal: Ophthalmology (Ophthalmology) Vol. 106 Issue 3 Pg. 586-9 (Mar 1999) ISSN: 0161-6420 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10080218 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Cyclosporine

Topics

• Adult
• Behcet Syndrome (drug therapy)
• Brain (drug effects, pathology)
• Brain Diseases (chemically induced, diagnosis)
• Cohort Studies
• Cyclosporine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Incidence
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Retrospective Studies