It is with great pleasure that I write this Foreword to the Proceedings of the International Conference on Behçet's Disease which was held in Berlin in June 2002. This was the first International Conference held under the auspices of the International Society for Behçet's Disease which was founded in 2000 in Seoul. First, I congratulate our colleagues in Berlin, led by Professor Christos Zouboulis of the Department of Dermatology at the Free University of Berlin, for having organised a most successful conference and for having compiled these proceedings so rapidly. It will be realised immediately on scanning the contents of this book that the conference was truly international with 210 participants from 26 countries, as Professor Zouboulis has noted in his preface. These included basic scientists, epidemiologists, pathologists, clinicians and, importantly, representatives from patient organisations. The latter held their own conference alongside the scientific-medical conference to mutual benefit. The combined session of patients and doctors (abstracts on pp 601 626) gave the opportunity for an exchange of information and fruitful discussion. The wide ranging scope of the communications is evident from the index and it was most encouraging to see their origin from all parts of the world, from senior and junior colleagues and, from many different disciplines. Many communications may be regarded as preliminary reports of research in progress and we look forward to seeing the definitive publications in appropriate journals in due course.

Inhalt
History. Initial Contributions of Adamantiades and Behçet; K.T. Calamia, E.L. Matteson. A Historical Review of Adamantiades-Behçet's Disease; C.C. Zouboulis, W. Kietel. Epidemiology. Multicentre Clinical Registries; P. Martus. Epidemiology of Behçet's Disease in Asian Countries and Japan; F. Kaneko, et al. Recent Epidemiological Data on Behçet's Disease in Iran; F. Shahram, et al. Prevalence of Behçet's Disease among Iraqis; Z.S. Al-Rawi, A.H. Neda. Diagnostic criteria, prognostic parameters, assessment of disease activity, and quality of life. The Importance of the Manifestations Besides the Ones Included in International Criteria for Behçet's Disease; N. Dilsen. Influence of Pathergy Test on the Accuracy of Different Diagnosis Criteria for Behçet's Disease; F. Davatchi, et al. Measuring Health Related Quality of Life. M. Bullinger. Pathogenesis. Pathogenesis of Adamantiades-Behçet's Disease; C.C. Zouboulis, T. May. Immunopathogenesis and Prevention of Uveitis with the Behçet's Disease-Specific Peptide Linked to Cholera Toxin B; T. Lehner, et al. The Role of Infectious Agents in the Pathogenesis of Behçet's Disease; F. Kaneko, et al. Genetics. The Human Genome Project: What We have Learnt about the MHC Region on Chromosome 6 and Its Potential to Behçet's Disease; S. Beck. Comparison of Proteome Map Between Sera of Patients with Behçet's Disease and Controls; Kwang-Hoon Lee, et al. HLA Typing for Class I and Class II Antigens in Iraqi Patients with Behçet's Disease (Sporadic and Familial cases); I.KH. Al-Joofy, et al. Immunology. Chemokines in Behçet's Disease, a Field to Be Explored as a Potential Basis for Therapy; M. Baggiolini.Expression of CCR5 in Behçet's Disease; M. Önder, et al. Immunophenotype and Th1/Th2 Cytokines in Patients withAdamantiades-Behçet's Disease; K. Psarra, et al. Concepts For Research. ISBD Basic Research Perspectives; H. Direskeneli, A. Gül. Mucocutaneous Manifestations. Complex Aphthosis: Evaluation for Behçet's Disease? M.A. McCarty, J.L. Jorizzo. Complex Aphthosis; R.S. Rogers III. Comparison of Oral Aphthae in Behçet's Disease and Idiopathic Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis; C. Chams-Davatchi, et al. Ocular Manifestations. Origin and Outcome of Macular Edema in Behçet's Disease; H. Chams, et al. Fluorescein Angiography and Optical Coherence Tomography in Ocular Behçet's Disease; L.S. Atmaca, et al. Cells of the Vitreous Body in Behçet's Disease; T. Ness, L.L. Hansen. Neurological Manifestations. Neuro-Behçet Disease (Isolated Cerebral Thrombophlebitis Excluded); A. Sbaï, et al. The Prevalence Of Headache In Behçet's Syndrome; D. Kidd. Adamantiades-Behçet's Disease And Elevated Intracranial Pressure In A 12 Year Old Turkish Girl; U. Neudorf, et al. Cardiovascular Involvement. Behçet's Disease With Vascular Involvement: The Contribution of Anticardiolipin Antibodies and Thrombomodulin; H. Nakano, et al. Arterial Wall Characteristics In Patients With Adamantiades-Behçet's Disease; A. Protogerou, et al. The Influence Of Plasma Fibrinogen And Serum Ferrum On Blood Viscosity In Adamantiades-Behçet's Disease; S. Mineshita, et al. Various Clinical Manifestations. New Perspectives of Imaging Techniques for Diagnosis of Organ Manifestations in Behçet's Disease; M. Schirmer, et al. The Comparison Of Ankylosing Spondylitis In Behçet's Disease And