Abstract Behçet disease (BD) is a rare multisystem, inflammatory disease of unknown origin that may lead to life-threatening events and is associated with a prothrombotic state. The aim of this study was to determine the role of homocysteine and haemostatic factors in the etiopathogenesis and the determination of the activity of BD. In line with this objective, the present study aimed to examine the levels of homocysteine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid which are play role of homocysteine metabolism, and haemostatic factors such as PAI-1, for the diagnosis and particularly the follow-up of BD.
The study group consisted of a total of 60 persons, 40 of whom were BD patients and 20 of whom were healthy individuals. We evaluated homocysteine levels and some vitamin levels which were associated with homocysteine metabolism and plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and MDA, lipid peroxidation end product.
Plasma vitamin B12, folic acid, PAI-1 and homocysteine levels in the active patient group were statistically significantly higher than those in inactive and control group (p<0.05), there was no statistically significant difference in vitamin B6 levels as such between active, inactive Behcet’s patients and the control group (p>0.05).
An excess of PAI-1 and hyperhomocysteinaemia, which is a major and independent risk factor for vascular disease, and an accompanying evaluation of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid may be responsible for the endothelial damage in BD and assumed to be a risk factor and a marker for activation of BD.
Keywords Behcet’s disease, homocysteine, PAI-1, vitamins.