Abstract
Objectives To examine the serum irisin level in a group of Behcet's disease patients, its association with illness parameters, and its utility in diagnosing subclinical atherosclerosis.
Methods This randomized case-control study included 50 patients and 50 age- and sex-matched controls. Carotid Doppler ultrasound for the measurement of the carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) and ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) were performed. A clinical evaluation, lipogram, and serum irisin were also performed.
Results Between the patients and the control group, there was a significant difference in CIMT, S. irisin level, and anklebrachial pressure index; however, gender and BMI did not significantly affect CIMT, ABPI, or S. irisin level. CIMT demonstrated a substantial negative correlation with both S. irisin and ABPI (r= - 0.62, P 0.0001).
With a sensitivity of up to 94.30% and a specificity of 93.30%, the ROC analysis revealed that a decrease in S. irisin level in Behcet's patients was indicative of subclinical atherosclerosis. The drop in the ABPI level demonstrated a sensitivity of up to 94.30% and a specificity of 100%.
Conclusion Subclinical atherosclerosis is prevalent among Egyptian Behcet's patients, and S. irisin can be employed as a biomarker for diagnosing subclinical atherosclerosis in Behcet's illness.