Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a rare multi-system auto immune disease that is known for its long remissions and wide variety of symptoms.  Sarcoidosis symptoms vary from person to person; no two are exactly alike.  It is a granulomatous disease in which inflammation may occur in lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, joints, kidneys, liver and spleen, and other tissues.

Incidence; Causes and Development

Sarcoidosis occurs in highly variable groups.  The disorder is slightly more common in people 25 to 50 years old, particularly women, but can occur at any age and to either sex.

The cause of Sarcoidosis is unknown, but some areas of exploration on its causes are:

• A viral or bacterial infection (Sarcoidosis is not contagious, but resembles tuberculosis)
• A defect in the body's immune system
• An unidentified toxic substance
• An unknown environmental cause
• An inherited or genetic cause.

Signs and Symptoms

Over 90% of cases involve the lungs and may also involve any other area of the body.  Some cases will involve some portion of the nervous system.  The disorder involves an abnormal immune system response resulting in deposits of white blood cells and abnormal tissue cells in the affected organs.

The symptoms of sarcoidosis can vary greatly, depending on which organs are involved.  In some people, symptoms may begin suddenly and/or severely and subside in a short period of time.  Others may have no outward symptoms at all even though organs are affected.  Still others may have symptoms that appear slowly and subtly, but which last or recur over a long time span.  Some symptoms, such as enlarged lymph glands in the chest and around the lungs, are not obvious.

Any part of the nervous system may become involved.  Involvement may be a single nerve, multiple nerves, or generalized.

There may be pain in the hands, feet or other bony areas due to the formation of cysts (an abnormal sac-like growth) in bones.

Diagnosis and Tests

Types of testing for sarcoidosis include: CBC; chem-7 or chem-20; ACE levels; chest X-ray; lymph node biopsy; skin lesion biopsy; bronchoscopy; open lung biopsy; gallium scan; nerve biopsy.

Treatment and Prevention

There is no known cure for this disorder, but more and more treatments are being tested.  Treatment mainly consists of reducing and relieving symptoms, bearing in mind that some cases resolve themselves in time and never experience further symptoms.  Many new medications and experiments are being conducted on sarcoidosis patients every day, and what works for one may not necessarily always work for another; it is important to discuss all your options with your physician.

Prognosis

Some patients (60%) have Sarcoid for a period of 2-3 years and never have it again, but others have it chronically, some with periods of remission.