ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pyoderma Gangrenosum (PG) is a chronic disease characterized by recalcitrant skin ulcers. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical characteristics, treatments and factors affecting the treatment responses of patients with PG. METHODS: We performed a multicenter study of 12 tertiary care centers. We analyzed the data of the patients who were followed up with a diagnosis of PG between the years 2012â2022 retrospectively. RESULTS: We included a total of 239 patients of whom 143 were female and 96 were male, with an average age of 54.2⯱â¯17.4 years. The most common treatment was systemic steroids (nâ¯=â¯181, 75.7%). Among these patients, 50.8% (nâ¯=â¯92) used systemic steroids as the sole systemic agent, while 49.2% (nâ¯=â¯89) used at least one adjuvant immunosuppressive agent. The independent factors determined in regression analysis to influence response to systemic steroids positively were disease onset age ≥ 30-years, negative pathergy, absence of leukocytosis, negative wound culture, presence of a single lesion, and absence of upper extremity involvement. Biological agents were used in 18.4% (nâ¯=â¯44) of the patients in the present study. We also analyzed pathergy positive PG and early onset (onset age < 30) PG separately due to their distinct clinical features which were revealed during statistical analysis. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Retrospective nature of the present study. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of the factors influencing treatment responses are addressed in this study. Also, we concluded that investigation for accompanying autoinflammatory diseases of pathergy positive PG and early onset PG is necessary and the patients in these two groups are more resistant to treatment, necessitating more complicated treatments.
Subject(s)
Immunosuppressive Agents , Pyoderma Gangrenosum , Humans , Pyoderma Gangrenosum/drug therapy , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Adult , Aged , Treatment Outcome , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of patients with Behcet's Disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with Behcet's Disease and 31 matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), and total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured in both groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding demographic data. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of patients and controls were 13.76 (range: 4.00-35.79) and 18.97 (range: 12.05-36.94) ng/ml, respectively. In patients with Behcet's Disease, 25-hydroxyvitamin D values were significantly lower than those of the healthy controls (p<0.001). Serum Ca, P, and ALP levels were similar in both groups. Serum ESR and CRP levels were significantly higher in patients than controls (p<0.05). There was no correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and age, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, ESR, or CRP levels. Multivariate regression analysis parameters showed that smoking, alcohol intake, and use of colchicine were the main predictors of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Of the parameters studied, the largest impact was due to colchicine therapy (p<0.001). We did not find a significant relationship between the use of corticosteroids and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are decreased in patients with Behcet's Disease. Smoking, alcohol intake, and use of colchicine appear to affect vitamin D levels.
Subject(s)
Behcet Syndrome/blood , Vitamin D/analogs & derivatives , Adolescent , Adult , Alkaline Phosphatase/blood , Behcet Syndrome/drug therapy , Biomarkers/blood , Blood Sedimentation , C-Reactive Protein/analysis , Calcium/blood , Case-Control Studies , Colchicine/therapeutic use , Disease Progression , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phosphates/blood , Vitamin D/blood , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of patients with Behcet's Disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with Behcet's Disease and 31 matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), and total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured in both groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding demographic data. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of patients and controls were 13.76 (range: 4.00-35.79) and 18.97 (range: 12.05-36.94) ng/ml, respectively. In patients with Behcet's Disease, 25-hydroxyvitamin D values were significantly lower than those of the healthy controls (p<0.001). Serum Ca, P, and ALP levels were similar in both groups. Serum ESR and CRP levels were significantly higher in patients than controls (p<0.05). There was no correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and age, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, ESR, or CRP levels. Multivariate regression analysis parameters showed that smoking, alcohol intake, and use of colchicine were the main predictors of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Of the parameters studied, the largest impact was due to colchicine therapy (p<0.001). We did not find a significant relationship between the use of corticosteroids and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are decreased in patients with Behcet's Disease. Smoking, alcohol intake, and use of colchicine appear to affect vitamin D levels.