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Sebahattin Yurdakul

Publications and source records attributed to Sebahattin Yurdakul.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Short-term trial of etanercept in Behçet's disease: a double blind, placebo controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha blocker etanercept on the pathergy and monosodium urate (MSU) status and on the mucocutaneous and articular manifestations of patients with Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: Forty male patients with BD, all with positive pathergy and MSU tests and mucocutaneous disease and/or arthritis, were randomized (20 patients to each study arm) to receive either etanercept 25 mg twice a week or placebo for 4 weeks. The pathergy and MSU responses and the frequencies of mucocutaneous and articular manifestations were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There were no decreases in the pathergy and MSU responses in the etanercept group compared to the placebo group at any time. The mean numbers of oral ulcers, nodular lesions, and papulopustular lesions were less in the etanercept group compared to the placebo group at all weekly evaluations, except for the second week for papulopustular lesions. The probability of being free of oral ulcers and nodular lesions was also significantly higher in the former group (log-rank chi-square = 9.83, p = 0.0017; log-rank chi-square = 14.17, p = 0.0002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Etanercept did not affect the pathergy reaction and the cutaneous response to MSU crystals. However, the drug was effective in suppressing most of the mucocutaneous manifestations of BD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Behçet syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Interest in Behçet syndrome (BS), although the condition is rare in many parts of the world, is increasing as judged by the growing number of related publications and scientific meetings. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent work reconfirmed the following without further insight into their meaning in pathogenesis: males have a more severe course; one third of the patients have a thrombophilia; papulopustular lesions and arthritis go together; gammadelta T are increased; and HLA B51 is still the main genetic association. Presence of increased levels of antibodies to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the proposal of alpha-enolase as the target antigen of antiendothelial cell antibodies, known to be present also in BS, are observations that might help in delineating the unknown pathogenesis. For management, preliminary yet promising experience with the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents is being reported. SUMMARY When compared with 2 decades ago, we know considerably more and can do more about BS.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed2003

The long-term mortality and morbidity of Behçet syndrome: a 2-decade outcome survey of 387 patients followed at a dedicated center.

We surveyed the 20-year outcome of a cohort of patients with Behçet syndrome with emphasis on both mortality and morbidity. During 1999 and 2000, we collected outcome information on 387/428 (90.4%) of a cohort of patients (262 male, 125 female) who had registered in a dedicated outpatient clinic between July 1977 and December 1983. In 245/345 (71.0%) patients, outcome information was based on a formal hospital reevaluation, and in the remaining patients, on detailed telephone interviews. Forty-two patients (9.8%) (39 male, 3 female) had died, mainly due to major vessel disease and neurologic involvement. Mortality, as measured by standardized mortality ratios (SMR), was specifically increased among young males, among whom morbidity was also the highest. However, the SMR tended to decrease significantly with the passage of time. The same was also true for all mucocutaneous and articular manifestations. Both the onset of eye disease and its greatest damage were also usually within the first few years of disease onset. These suggest that the "disease burden" of Behçet syndrome is usually confined to the early years of its course, and in many patients the syndrome "burns out." However, central nervous system involvement and major vessel disease are exceptions. They can have their onset late (5-10 yr) during the disease course. As reflected in the mortality figures, the disease was less severe among the females for almost each disease manifestation. There were no female patients with arterial aneurysms. Severely impaired vision did not always mean an eventual loss of useful vision, and those patients with a late onset of eye disease had a better visual prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Interferon alfa combined with azathioprine for the uveitis of Behçet's disease: an open study.

BACKGROUND: Eye involvement is the main cause of morbidity in Behçet's syndrome. The efficacy of the combined use of azathioprine and interferon alfa in treating this condition has not been studied. METHODS: Ten male BD patients with retinal involvement but no irreversible structural changes were treated with azathioprine 2.5 mg/kg/day and IFN alpha 2b three times weekly for 24 weeks in an open trial. At week 24, IFN alpha was stopped and the patients continued to use azathioprine or received other immunosuppressives as indicated. Clinical response was assessed by visual acuity changes of either eye under the combination treatment and during the follow-up after stopping interferon. RESULTS: As compared to the study entry, the mean visual acuities of either eye increased significantly at the end of the combination treatment (right eye 5.8 +/- 1.26 vs. 8.3 1.14; P = 0.043; left eye 6.3 1.15 SEM vs. 9.1 +/- 0.9 SEM; P = 0.027). The improvement in visual acuity persisted in the nine patients who were followed for 7.2 +/- 1.6 SEM months after stopping interferon. Reversible hematologic toxicity, mostly in the form of leukopenia, was detected in six patients during the combination treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of IFN alpha and azathioprine appears to be effective for eye involvement of BD. However, the frequent occurrence of myelosuppression mandates close monitoring.

Adult↗