Background: Behcet’s disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis that affects young adults aged between 20 and 30 years old. It is rare in childhood.

Objectives: This work aims to analyze the clinical features of this form by comparing it with adult BD.

Methods: Through a retrospective study including 192 cases with BD seen in The Internal Medicine Department at Tahar Sfar Hospital Mahdia TUNISA, we report 8 cases of juvenile BD (4.2%) that occurred under the age of 16 years.

Results: There were 8 male. The average age of BD onset was 14 years [11, 16 years]. Genital aphthosis was noted in 5 patients. Ophthalmologic damage was observed in 4 patients, dominated by uveitis (75% of cases). No cases of blindness were observed. Joint damage was seen in 5 patients and vascular and neurological damage in 2 patients respectively. All patients received colchicine in addition to a platelet aggregation inhibitors at the moment of BD diagnosis. When comparing juvenile BD group with that of adults, we have noticied, the frequency of cutaneo-mucous and articular manifestations, the rarity of neurological damage and the absence of cardiac and digestive damage in the juvenile BD group.

Conclusion: Juvenile BD is a rare form, with a male predominance. The younger age is not a poor prognostic factor. Early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the disease’s complications.

References: [1]doi: 10.1007/s00296-018-4208-9

Disclosure of Interests: None declared