INTRODUCTION Sarcoidosis is a multisystem chronic inflammatory disorder.1 The disease primarily affects the pulmonary system. It causes an increase in inflammatory markers which may develop into pulmonary granulomas. The disease may also affect the skin, eyes, kidneys and practically any system of the body.2 Patients require a thorough history and physical and systemic work-up with treatment focused on the most severely affected system.1 Sarcoidosis can affect any age group, ethnicity or race. Incidence with age has a bimodal distribution with the first peak in the third and fourth decades, and the second peak around 65-69 years. Females have a slight greater risk than males.1 Highest incidence in North American blacks and northern European
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Diagnosis depends on clinical presentation, presence of granulomas, and laboratory and radiologic evidence of multi-organ disease.1 Sarcoidosis is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is important to rule out other granulomatous disease such as berylliosis, tuberculosis, fungal infection, and lymphoma.3
Laboratory studies Laboratory screening includes complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel, urinalysis with 24-hour urine calcium, thyroid function testing, tuberculosis screening, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) …show more content…
Pulmonary sarcoidosis can worsen in what is called acute pulmonary exacerbations of sarcoidosis (APES) with worsening pulmonary dysfunction and pulmonary symptoms developing over a period of a month. This worsening of pulmonary sarcoidosis can occur after the discontinuation of corticosteroid treatment. APES will not resolve on its own and requires restarting corticosteroid treatment. 4 Five percent of patients may die of respiratory insufficiency. 3 Patients with myocardial sarcoidosis may develop restrictive cardiomyopathy, cardiac dysrhythmias, and conduction disorders.6 All patients with sarcoidosis will require long-term follow-up. Minimal follow-up includes a year physical exam, PFTs, CMP, eye exam, chest radiograph, and electrocardiogram to look for further organ involvement and progression of the disease.3
CONCLUSION
Sarcoidosis is a multi-organ system disease that requires a thorough history and physical exam along with in-depth laboratory, radiographic and other special tests to diagnosis. Treatment of the disease consists mainly of long-term low-dose corticosteroid treatment. Due to the effects that sarcoidosis has over all organ systems in the body it is important to closely follow patients with sarcoidosis with a thorough yearly work-up. Patients should also be screened for emotional effects of their disease and
Diagnosis depends on clinical presentation, presence of granulomas, and laboratory and radiologic evidence of multi-organ disease.1 Sarcoidosis is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is important to rule out other granulomatous disease such as berylliosis, tuberculosis, fungal infection, and lymphoma.3
Laboratory studies Laboratory screening includes complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel, urinalysis with 24-hour urine calcium, thyroid function testing, tuberculosis screening, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) …show more content…
Pulmonary sarcoidosis can worsen in what is called acute pulmonary exacerbations of sarcoidosis (APES) with worsening pulmonary dysfunction and pulmonary symptoms developing over a period of a month. This worsening of pulmonary sarcoidosis can occur after the discontinuation of corticosteroid treatment. APES will not resolve on its own and requires restarting corticosteroid treatment. 4 Five percent of patients may die of respiratory insufficiency. 3 Patients with myocardial sarcoidosis may develop restrictive cardiomyopathy, cardiac dysrhythmias, and conduction disorders.6 All patients with sarcoidosis will require long-term follow-up. Minimal follow-up includes a year physical exam, PFTs, CMP, eye exam, chest radiograph, and electrocardiogram to look for further organ involvement and progression of the disease.3
CONCLUSION
Sarcoidosis is a multi-organ system disease that requires a thorough history and physical exam along with in-depth laboratory, radiographic and other special tests to diagnosis. Treatment of the disease consists mainly of long-term low-dose corticosteroid treatment. Due to the effects that sarcoidosis has over all organ systems in the body it is important to closely follow patients with sarcoidosis with a thorough yearly work-up. Patients should also be screened for emotional effects of their disease and