Abstract
In eight patients with Neuro-Behcet's disease cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells were studied in relation to the clinical symptoms, clinical course and treatment. The results obtained were as follows: (1) The mean value of CSF cell counts was 126± 177/3mm3 in 88 specimens from the patients, and 2.9±2.4/3mm3 in 30 specimens from healthy control subjects, the former being significantly higher than the latter (p<0.01). (2) In the patients' CSF, the average percentages of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells were 67±23% and 32±23%, respectively. (3) In CSF cytogram from 37 specimens from the patients, the average percentage of small lymphocytes was 59±19%, which was significantly lower (p<0.01) than control (71±8%). The average percentage of activated lymphocytes, activated monocytes and neutrophils which were not observed in control were 0.5±1.2%, 1.9±2.2% and 17±16%, respectively. (4) The ratio of nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) measured by microspectrophotometry (Zeiss UMSP-1) in CSF lymphocytes stained with methylgreen and pyronin was 0.58±0.12 in 17 specimens from the patients and 0.55±0.07% in 10 specimens from the control; there was no significant difference between them. These results suggested that the pleocytosis in Neuro-Behcet's disease may represent perivascular inflammatory process in the central nervous system.
