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Johns Hopkins Symptoms and Remedies

Johns Hopkins Medicine

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Sarcoidosis

In sarcoidosis, the accumulation of inflammatory cells in various tissues may produce scarlike fibrous tissue or thin-walled blisters (bullae) in the lungs, and enlargement of the lymph nodes.

What is it?

Sarcoidosis is a relatively common disease characterized by an accumulation of inflammatory cells in various tissues throughout the body, most often in the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes, and skin. Symptoms depend on which organs are affected; in many cases no symptoms appear at all. Many cases of sarcoidosis subside spontaneously within two or three years; about 40 percent of cases will respond to treatment and only 10 percent will progress to long-term or chronic sarcoidosis. The most serious manifestations of sarcoidosis result from damage to the heart, eyes, and lungs. Symptoms may be relieved with corticosteroid drugs; however, since the disease may be mild and most cases subside even without treatment, the decision to prescribe corticosteroids is based upon the likelihood of complications developing in the lungs, eyes, or other organs. Sarcoidosis is more common between the ages of 20 and 40, although it may strike anyone at any age. In the United States, African Americans are affected more frequently and have more serious complications than whites.

What Causes It?

  • The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown, but it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder.

Prevention

  • There is no known way to prevent sarcoidosis.

Diagnosis

  • Diagnosis is suspected from patient history, physical examination, and chest x-ray.
  • Confirmation of the diagnosis requires a biopsy, often of lung tissue obtained by bronchoscopy (the passage of a thin, flexible viewing tube through the mouth and throat into the lungs).
  • Skin lesions or other affected sites may be biopsied.
  • Lung function tests can help determine severity.

How to Treat It

  • Corticosteroid drugs such as prednisone are prescribed to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms. When the lungs are involved, such therapy may be sustained for a year or more, then withdrawn to see if spontaneous remission has occurred. Relapses may require indefinite steroid therapy.
  • Hydroxychloroquine (a drug usually used to treat malaria) is often useful in treating skin lesions.

When to Call a Doctor

  • Call a doctor if you develop persistent shortness of breath, cough, unexplained weight loss, or other symptoms of sarcoidosis.