Auto-immunity profile evaluation during different clinical manifestations of Behçet disease in Algerian patients: effect of corticosteroid treatment.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Behçet disease (BD) is a chronic multisystem disease. It stands at the crossroads between the auto-immunity and auto-inflammatory disorders. Our study aims to evaluate corticosteroids therapy effects on serum immunoglobulin isotypes and anti-phospholipid auto-anti-body production in Algerian BD patients with different clinical manifestations.

METHODS: We evaluated serum immunoglobulin isotypes and anti-phospholipid (anti-cardiolipin, anti-β2glycoprotein I, anti-prothrombin) auto-anti-body production using Turbidimetric or Luminex platform assays. Our study was conducted in naïve active BD patients and in corticosteroid-treated patients with different clinical manifestations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that IgM, IgG, and IgA levels were higher in naïve active patients. The increase in sera isotypes did not differ according to the clinical manifestation, except for IgA production, which was associated with an increased risk of mucocutaneous and ocular involvement. Interestingly, in corticosteroid-treated active patients, no difference was reported between each clinical subgroup. Furthermore,anti-cardiolipin, anti-β2glycoprotein I and anti-prothrombin auto-anti-body levels were elevated in naïve active patients. Contrary to anti-prothrombin, high anti-cardiolipin and anti-β2glycoprotein I, production differed according to the clinical manifestations and was associated with an increased risk of mucocutaneous and ocular involvement. Importantly, corticosteroid therapy significantly reduced these immune markers regardless of the clinical manifestations.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that high IgA production could be a risk marker of uveitis in naïve active patients. Moreover, concomitant high anti-cardiolipin, anti-β2glycoprotein I and anti-prothrombin production is related to an increased risk of mucocutaneous lesions, ocular and vascular involvement. Collectively, our data indicate the importance of evaluating the corticosteroid effect on immune responses associated with BD to ensure an adequate investigation of each related clinical manifestation.