Behçet uveitis in the American midwest

Purpose: Behçet disease is most common in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa (Silk Road). The authors compare clinical presentation and course of Behçet uveitis in patients of Silk Road and non-Silk Road descent. Methods: Retrospective review of patients evaluated at the University of Illinois January 1983July 2010. Results: Of 6134 new uveitis patients, 36 with available medical records met diagnostic criteria for Behçet disease. Ten (28%) were of Silk Road origin. Retinal vasculitis was the most common ocular manifestation, followed by panuveitis and retinitis. Ocular and systemic manifestations were similar between groups. Seventy-eight percent were treated with systemic immunosuppression, which reduced inflammatory attack rate. Conclusions: Behçet disease is uncommon in the midwestern United States. Three-quarters of patients in this series were not of Silk Road descent. Physicians should consider the diagnosis of Behçet disease in any patient with retinal vasculitis or uveitis regardless of ethnicity.