Anti Phospholipid Antibodies and Behçet’s Disease

Abstract

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem variable vessel vasculitis that can cause oral and genital ulcers, papulopustular and nodular skin lesions, arthritis, uveitis, venous and arterial thrombosis, arterial aneurysms, central nervous system lesions and gastrointestinal ulcers. Anti phospholipid antibodies (aPL) were originally thought to bind anionic phospholipids such as cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine. However, it was subsequently recognized that the term "antiphospholipid" is a misnomer, since the best-characterized aPL are actually directed against specific phospholipid-binding proteins. Antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies are known to induce arterial and venous thromboses, as occurs in antiphospholipid syndrome.There is growing evidence that cellular crosstalk between endothelial and immune-inflammatory cells could also promote thrombogenesis in BD. contribute to endothelial injury. It is important in determining the role of the presence of aPL for therapy of BD patients. Due to primary inflammatory vascular origin, the thrombotic events in BD are better responsive to glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive drugs than to anticoagulants. While standard therapy of APS includes long-term use of anticoagulants. It should be noted that the inappropriate use of anticoagulants in BD could be very dangerous especially in patients with pulmonary artery aneurisms because of the risk of vascular rupture