Behçet's Syndrome in a Family With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

• Although the gastrointestinal and systemic features of Behçet's syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease overlap to a considerable extent, they are generally viewed as two distinct diseases. We evaluated three members of a family who have inflammatory bowel lesions, two of whom met criteria for Behçet's syndrome. The propositus had classic features of both Crohn's ileocolitis and Behçet's syndrome. A daughter, who never met criteria for Behçet's syndrome, had undergone colectomy for ulcerative colitis. A second daughter had classic features of Behçet's syndrome, including recurrent episodes of colitis with distinct aphthous ulcers in the colon. The findings in this family suggest that inflammatory bowel disease and Behçet's syndrome may be closely related and part of a spectrum of disease rather than distinct disease entities. (<i>Arch Intern Med</i>1985;145:1047-1050)