Orthostatic intolerance in Behcet's disease

Auton Neurosci. 2001 Jun 20;89(1-2):96-9. doi: 10.1016/S1566-0702(01)00243-0.

Abstract

Neurological manifestations are known to occur in patients with Behcet's Disease (BD) and significantly affect the clinical course of the disease. Nevertheless, the prevalence, pattern and severity of autonomic impairment in such patients have yet to be defined. In this paper, we presented a BD patient with orthostatic tachycardia. Non-invasive standardized autonomic function tests revealed no evidence of autonomic impairment, but profound orthostatic tachycardia accompanied by abnormal catecholamine increase was observed upon standing. The diagnosis of Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) was made and initial symptomatic therapy was started. The contribution of an immunological damage to components of neural pathways in the pathogenesis of the autonomic involvement can be assumed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autonomic Nervous System / physiopathology
  • Behcet Syndrome / complications*
  • Behcet Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypotension, Orthostatic / diagnosis
  • Hypotension, Orthostatic / etiology*
  • Hypotension, Orthostatic / physiopathology
  • Norepinephrine / physiology
  • Tachycardia / diagnosis
  • Tachycardia / etiology
  • Tachycardia / physiopathology

Substances

  • Norepinephrine