SARCOIDOSIS

What Is Sarcoidosis?
Sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown cause that leads to inflammation. It can affect various organs in the body. Inflammation occurs during this process. In people who have sarcoidosis, the inflammation doesn't go away. Sarcoidosis can affect any organ in your body. If many granulomas form in an organ, they can affect how the organ works. Signs and symptoms vary depending on which organs are affected. Many people who have sarcoidosis have no symptoms or mild symptoms. Treatment for sarcoidosis also varies depending on which organs are affected. The outcome of sarcoidosis varies. "Remission" means the disease isn't active, but it can return.

Two-thirds of people who have the disease have remission within 10 years of diagnosis. People who have Lofgren's syndrome usually have remission. Sarcoidosis leads to organ damage in about one-third of the people diagnosed with the disease. Rarely, sarcoidosis can be fatal. Certain people are at higher risk for poor outcomes from chronic (long-term) sarcoidosis. Lupus pernio is a serious skin condition that sarcoidosis may cause.

Pulmonary Infiltration and Fibrosis & Sarcoidosis
Infiltration refers to the abnormal presence of granulomas in the lung tissue. About 25% of sarcoidosis patients experience dyspnea and/or a persistent cough. Pulmonary infiltration can lead to lung fibrosis (i.e., the hardening and thickening of tissue) that can cause permanent scarring. Unfortunately, fibrosis is irreversible. Although often asymptomatic, granulomas in the lung can cause assorted respiratory problems, including:
• A persistent, dry cough
• Chest pain
• Hemoptysis (spitting up of blood from the lungs)
• Hoarseness
• Nasal congestion
• Pneumothorax (air in the chest outside the lungs, which can lead to a collapsed lung)
• Shortness of breath, or difficult breathing (dyspnea), a normal result of exercise but in sarcoidosis patients can occur without exercise
• Wheezing (noisy, difficult breathing)
In the majority of patients, the inflammation and infiltration in the lungs eventually clears up.

Upper Airway Involvement & Sarcoidosis
The upper airways, including the sinuses and the larynx, can be affected with sarcoidosis.
Extrathoracic Lymph Nodes & Sarcoidosis
In addition to the hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in the chest, sarcoidosis can affect lymph nodes in other parts of the body.
Dermatology & Sarcoidosis
Skin lesions, or granulomas that develop on the skin, occur in about 25% of cases. Most skin lesions are harmless, although they can cause scarring and disfigurement. One type, lupus pernio, develops on the face and can leave scars.
Erythrema Nodosum
Although a common symptom of sarcoidosis, the occurence of erythrema nodosum does not necessarily mean that a person has sarcoidosis.
Ophthalmological Symptoms of Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis affects the eyes in about 25% of cases. In chronic sarcoidosis, more serious eye problems can develop, such as glaucoma and cataracts. If left untreated, sarcoidosis can lead to blindness. Although usually asymptomatic, sarcoidosis granulomas are often scattered throughout the spleen.
Liver & Sarcoidosis
Up to three-fourths of patients develop granulomas in the liver that rarely create symptoms.
Neurological Symptoms of Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis can affect any part of the nervous system. Not more than about 5% of sarcoidosis patients have neurological manifestation. Sarcoidosis can also lead to obstructive hydrocephalus.
Cardiac Symptoms of Sarcoidosis
It is estimated that about 20% to 25% of patients with sarcoidosis have cardiac granulomas. Like many other organs, sarcoidosis granulomas on the heart are usually asymptomatic. Heart problems can arise, however, usually as secondary complications due to granulomas in the lung.
Sarcoidosis & Bones, Joints, and Muscles
Bones, joints, and muscles can be affected by sarcoidosis. A patient who has swollen lymph nodes and erythema nodosum (see erythema nodosum) may experience pain and tenderness in the muscles that is usually a short-lived myopathic problem (see myopathy) that resolves on its own.