Cardiac involvement has been seen in the form of myocarditis, pericarditis or myocardial infarction. Finally myositis has been described in Behcet. The etiology and pathogenesis of this syndrome remains obscure. Currently considered an autoimmune disease because of the common denominator of vasculitis in most patients. Familial occurrence has been reported and in patients from eastern Mediterranean countries and Japan.
Treatment is symptomatic and empirical.
In cases of skin involvement, vasculitis and anterior uveitis steroids are usually used. However in cases of posterior uveitis, CNS involvement or arteritis, a combination of steroids and chlorambucil is recommended. Indomethacin have been tried and reduced the severity of joint inflammation and pustular skin lesion but controlled studies are needed. Thalidomide has been reported to be of value in treatment of Behcet's syndrome and in one case it was found to have a dramatic effect on a severe colitis. There are early reports of the beneficial use of cyclosporine A in uveitis.