Li-man Wang

The demonstration of serum interleukin-8 and superoxide dismutase in Adamantiades-Behçet’s disease

Serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) production was measured in 43 Adamantiades-Behçet’s disease (A-BD) patients and in 46 healthy volunteers using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean serum IL-8 level of the patients (14.6 ± 3 pg/ml) was significantly higher than that of controls (10.8 ± 3 pg/ml, P < 0.05). Since IL-8 is known to have proinflammatory properties, it may play some role in the pathogenesis of A-BD. We also investigated the activity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the 43 patients with A-BD and in the 46 healthy volunteers. Serum SOD activity was markedly increased in the patients with A-BD (13.1 ± 3%), especially in active A-BD, compared with that in the healthy volunteers (6.7 ± 3%, P < 0.01). Our results suggest the involvement of IL-8 and SOD in the pathogenesis of A-BD as seen in other inflammatory diseases.

Intestinal Behçet's disease associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A 45-year-old man with intestinal Behçets disease noticed an enlarged right cervical lymph node, and was diagnosed with diffuse large cell type, non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The intrapelvic lymph tract was markedly deformed because of recurrent ileocecal ulceration, and conventional lymphoscintigraphy with a common tracer did not abolish the suspicion that lymphoma cells may have invaded the lymph nodes. Dynamic lymphoscintigraphy with a new tracer,99mtechnetium-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid-human serum albumin, because of its high detection sensitivity, was very useful for excluding this suspicion, and for determining the clinical stage of lymphoma. Combination induction chemotherapy led to complete remission without any adverse effects, but subsequent supportive therapy with same protocol could not be completed because of progression of the intestinal lesions. Special management for the intestinal lesions, such as bowel rest, may be essential with chemotherapy for patients with intestinal Behçets disease.

The role of an uncommon type of oral streptococcus sanguis in the etiology of behcet's disease.

The relationships of Behcet’s disease (BD) with oral diseases and the prevalence of an uncommon type of oralStreptococcus sanguis (Str. sanguis) in the oral cavity were investigated in a case-control study. BD patients were compared to patient controls (collagen disease) and healthy controls.An interview questionnaire survey of BD and oral diseases showed that during the pre-onset, onset, and post-onset periods, the incidences of tonsillitis and dental caries, or the history of dental treatment, were greater in BD cases. Typological analysis showed a higher prevalence of an uncommon type ofStr. sanguis, differing from the common type, among BD cases compared to control groups. These results, showing a higher incidence of tonsillitis and dental caries during the presymptomatic period, a greater frequency of dental treatments during the symptomatic period, and the presence of an uncommon type ofStr. sanguis, indicate thatStr. sanguis of an uncommon type is related to increased risk of BD, and the possibility of a causal role is suggested.