Health Topic

Behcet's Syndrome

Behcet’s syndrome (or disease) causes inflammation of the blood vessels and symptoms in many parts of the body. Learn about diagnosis and treatment.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: Behcet's disease

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Behcet's Syndrome

Behcet's syndrome is a disease that involves vasculitis, which is inflammation of the blood vessels. It causes problems in many parts of the body. The most common symptoms are:

  • Sores in the mouth
  • Sores on the sex organs
  • Other skin sores
  • Swelling of parts of the eye
  • Pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints

More serious problems can include meningitis, blood clots, inflammation of the digestive system and blindness.

Doctors aren't sure what causes Behcet's. It is rare in the United States, but is common in the Middle East and Asia. It mainly affects people in their 20s and 30s. Diagnosing Behcet's can take a long time, because symptoms may come and go, and it may take months or even years to have all of the symptoms. There is no cure. Treatment focuses on reducing pain and preventing serious problems. Most people can control symptoms with treatment.

It sits within Blood, Heart and Circulation, Eyes and Vision, Mouth and Teeth and Skin, Hair and Nails.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Human Genome Research Institute.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Behcet's Syndrome

133 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Learn More

Genetics

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Behcet Syndrome. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Behcet's Syndrome, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.