Abstract:
Objective. To evaluate hemodynamic changes in mesenteric arteries in
patients with Behçet disease with and without gastrointestinal symptoms.
Methods. Doppler sonography of mesenteric arteries was performed in 25
symptomatic and 15 asymptomatic patients having Behçet disease and in 25
healthy control subjects. The peak systolic, minimal, and mean velocities, resistive
and pulsatility indexes, inner diameter, cross-sectional area, and blood flow
volume of mesenteric arteries were evaluated. The results were compared
between patient groups and controls. Results. The mesenteric artery flow was
significantly greater in patients in the symptomatic group than in those in the
asymptomatic group or in controls. In the superior mesenteric artery, mean
velocity and mean blood flow volume (0.35 ± 0.18 m/s and 711 ± 404
mL/min, respectively; P < .0001) in the symptomatic group were significantly
higher than in the asymptomatic group (0.16 ± 0.07 m/s and 305 ± 168
mL/min, respectively) or in controls (0.15 ± 0.07 m/s and 290 ± 123 mL/min,
respectively). The mean peak systolic velocity (1.23 ± 0.47 m/s; P < .005) in the
symptomatic group was significantly higher than in controls (0.93 ± 0.23 m/s).
In the inferior mesenteric artery, mean velocity and mean blood flow volume
(0.25 ± 0.10 m/s and 139 ± 79 mL/min) in the symptomatic group were significantly
higher than in the asymptomatic group (0.16 ± 0.07 m/s; P < .006;
and 78 ± 26 mL/min; P < .007) or in controls (0.17 ± 0.07 m/s; P < .003; 83 ±
48 mL/min; P < .004). Conclusions. In this study, symptomatic patients with
gastrointestinal Behçet disease were associated with a significant increase in
mesenteric artery flow that could be evaluated easily on spectral patterns of
arteries during Doppler sonography. The Doppler sonographic findings also
revealed that intestinal involvement in patients with Behçet disease without
gastrointestinal symptoms is not significantly different from that of healthy
controls.
