Relationship between C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and mucocutaneous symptom frequency and disease severity in Behcets disease

Background/aim: There is no specific marker that can be applied to determine the severity of Behcet's disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of C -reactive protein (CRP)/albumin (CAR) ratio as a tool for assessing the severity of Behcet's disease. Materials and methods: A retrospective crosssectional study was conducted by examining hospital archives. The CRP and albumin levels of Behcet's disease patients who presented to our dermatology clinic over a three-year period from February 2020 to February 2022 were included, along with the identical laboratory parameters in the control group. The CAR ratio was calculated and statistically compared across different clinical features of the disease and with the control group. Results: Of the 97 patients with Behcet's disease, 70.1% (n = 68) were female and the median age was 36.0 years (IQR = 20.5), whereas of the 53 control subjects, 77.4% (n = 41) were female and the median age was 35.0 years (IQR = 19.0). There was no statistically significant difference in sex or age between the groups (p > 0.05). The levels of CRP and CAR were found to be significantly elevated in patients with Behcet's disease compared to the control group (both p < 0.001). According to the ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) of CRP level and CAR were found to be 0.784 (95%CI: 0.710-0.859), and 0.786 (95%CI: 0.712-0.861), respectively. The cut-off value for CRP was determined as 1.485, whereas for CAR it was 0.324. As the severity of Behcet's disease increased, there was a statistically significant increase in the CAR level (p < 0.001). The severity of Behcet's disease was statistically significantly associated with a high CAR level. Conclusion: CAR can be used as a quick and easily calculated parameter to assess the severity of Behcet's disease.