Doppler Waveforms and Blood Flow Parameters of the Superior and Inferior Mesenteric Arteries in Patients Having Behcet Disease With and Without Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Preliminary Data

• Published in: Journal of ultrasound in medicine Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 449 - 457
• Main Authors: Sigirci, Ahmet, Senol, Mustafa, Aydin, Erdinc, Kutlu, Ramazan, Alkan, Alpay, Altinok, M. Tayfun, Yologlu, Saim, Baysal, Tamer, Sarac, Kaya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Laurel, MD Am inst Ulrrasound Med 01-05-2003; American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Behcet Syndrome - complications; Behcet Syndrome - diagnostic imaging; Behcet Syndrome - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Flow Velocity - physiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Female; Humans; Intestinal Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Intestinal Diseases - etiology; Intestinal Diseases - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior - diagnostic imaging; Mesenteric Artery, Superior - diagnostic imaging; Middle Aged; Ultrasonography, Doppler - methods; Sonography; Human; Skin disease; Stomatology; Inferior mesenteric artery; Cardiovascular disease; Asymptomatic; Duplex ultrasonography; Gastrointestinal; Behçet syndrome; Genital diseases; Blood flow; Vascular disease; Case study; Symptomatology; Eye disease; Superior mesenteric artery; Systemic disease; Medical imagery; Digestive diseases; Hemodynamics; Diagnosis; Positive symptom
• ISSN: 0278-4297; 1550-9613
• DOI: 10.7863/jum.2003.22.5.449

To evaluate hemodynamic changes in mesenteric arteries in patients with Behçet disease with and without gastrointestinal symptoms.
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.
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).
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.