Knitting the Threads of Silk through Time: Behçet's Disease - Past, Present, and Future

• Published in: International Journal of Rheumatology
• Main Author: Adeeb F.; Stack A.G.; Fraser A.D.
• Format: Review
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2017
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85030635301&doi=10.1155%2f2017%2f2160610&partnerID=40&md5=854994b7ad8b7c072f7293baa4c50b8b

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic relapsing vasculitis that affects vessels of all types and sizes with a broad spectrum of phenotypic heterogeneity and complex immunopathogenesis. Efforts by the scientific community to resolve the unmet needs of BD and gaps in our knowledge have been hampered by considerable challenges that primarily relate to the rare nature of the disease in many parts of the world and its heterogeneity. Controversies remain in many aspects of the disease including the diagnostic criteria, immunopathogenesis and biomarker discovery, geographical variation, and therapeutic considerations. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our scientific understanding of BD, shed new insights into diagnostic and treatment strategies, and discuss residual gaps in our knowledge that will serve as the basis for current and future research. © 2017 Fahd Adeeb et al.