Evaluation of the Thyroid Gland in Patients with Behcet's Syndrome

Abstract

Behcet's Syndrome is a chronic, progressive, recurrent syndrome that can affect all organs and that histopathologically proceeds with vasculitis. Its etiology and pathogenesis is still unknown. Since Behcet's Syndrome generally develops with vasculitis, it has a wide clinical spectrum. When the rich vascular structure of the thyroid gland is considered, the effect of Behcet's Syndrome on this gland becomes noteworthy. This study was planned to evaluate whether thyroid gland and thyroid functions were affected in individuals with Behcet's Syndrome. The study included 18 patients who presented at Dermatology Polyclinic of Firat University School of Medicine and who were diagnosed as Behcet's disease according to International Work Group Criteria. The control group consisted of 15 healthy individuals. FT4, FT3, TSH and thyroid antibodies were tested and thyroid ultrasonography (USG) was performed in all patients and the control group. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was carried out in all Behcet's patients. No significant difference was found between Behcet's disease patients and the control group in terms of thyroid function tests. Thyroid auto-antibodies were found negative in both groups. Thyroid USG showed that 9 patients were normal, 5 had nodular goiter and 4 had multi-nodular goiter. FNAB of the nodules revealed Hurtle-cell adenoma in one patient, while others had benign nodular goiter. It was found in the USG of the control group that 9 patients were normal, 4 had nodular goiter and 2 had multi-nodular goiter. FNAB of individuals with nodules in the control group were reported as benign nodular goiter. It was concluded that there was no relation between Behcet's Syndrome and thyroid gland diseases in patients with Behcet's syndrome.