Two diseases that mimic each other: Behçet disease and sarcoidosis

Abstract

Behçet syndrome(BS), also known as Behçet disease (BD), is characterized by recurrent oral aphthae and any of several systemic manifestations including genital aphthae, ocular disease, skin lesions, gastrointestinal involvement, neurologic disease, vascular disease or arthritis. Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology that affects individuals worldwide and is characterized pathologically by the presence of noncaseating granulomas in involved organs. BD may be confused with sarcoidosis because they are both multisystem inflammatory disorders presenting with uveitis, polyarthritis, meningitis, cardiovascular disease, erythema nodosum, and other cutaneous lesions, and abnormal chest radiographs.