Comparison of the Results of Tuberculin Skin Test in Patients with Beh et’s Disease and Control Group

Background and Design: Both the alterations in the immune system and the presence of pathergy reaction in patients with Beh et’s disease may lead to differences in the results of purified protein derivative (PPD) test reaction in these patients and healthy people.Materials and Methods: Twenty-one patients with Beh et’s disease aged 19-44 years old were included in this study. None of these patients were using any systemic drug (except colchicum) and had any immunosuppressive disease. All patients were under colchicum treatment and all had had BCG vaccination. Control group was formed by 27 volunteers aged 19-42 years who have applied to our dermatology outpatient clinic on the same dates and were diagnosed as tinea pedis. None of them were using any immunosuppressive drug and had any immunosuppressive disease. All of them also had had BCG vaccination. PPD test was performed to both control and patient groups.Results: The results of PPD test were found higher in the patients with Beh et’s disease compared to the control group. Active tuberculosis infection was not determined in any of the patients with increased PPD reaction.Conclusion: Increased PPD test results in patients with Beh et’s disease do not always imply tuberculosis infection and might be accepted as a false-positive result.