Abstract
A 27-year-old Japanese female visited our hospital complaining of painful nodules on her bilateral lower legs that appeared 2 months previously. A physical examination showed nail-sized, tender, painful, subcutaneous nodules on her extensor surface of her lower legs. A histopathological examination revealed small vessels in subcutaneous tissue attacked by inflammatory cells composed of neutrophils, lymphocytes, histiocytes, and giant cells. The initial diagnosis was thrombophlebitis, and antithrombogenic agents were started. During the course of follow-up, she developed recurrent oral ulcers, an esophageal ulcer, iliac ulcers and arthritis. Laboratory investigation showed HLA-B51(+) and positive pathergy test. She was diagnosed as having intestinal type of Behçet’s disease. We analyzed the initial symptoms of Behçet’s disease cases diagnosed in our department from 1990 to 2010 and compared them with multinational data.
