Behcets disease presenting as renal failure in a 5-year-old child from Bahrain: A case report and literature review of renal manifestations of Behcets disease

Abstract

Background: Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic vasculitis that results in multisystem involvement including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and nervous system. BD is more commonly found in adults. Children account only for 15%-20% of cases. Generally, the renal manifestations of BD are not predominant and less reported. Case Presentation: A 5-year-old boy presented with renal failure, and he was noted to have multiple oral ulcers, cutaneous lesions, and arthritis. In view of the multisystem involvement, BD was highly suspected, and the diagnosis was confirmed by a positive pathergy test and the presence of the HLA-B52 gene. The patient was commenced on peritoneal dialysis and anti-inflammatory medications. Conclusion: The diagnosis of BD in children is challenging and requires a high index of suspicion. Especially if the patient is presenting with renal symptoms. Early recognition of the disease is crucial to prevent irreversible complications such as end-organ damage including renal failure.