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Home :: Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous inflammation affecting diverse organs, but it presents primarily as skin lesions, eye lesions, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, and pulmonary infiltration.
Causes of Sarcoidosis
Although the cause is unknown, suspected causes include:
- Viral/bacterial infection
- An unidentified toxic substance
- An inherited or genetic factor
Symptoms of Sarcoidosis
Symptoms usually depend on which organs the disease affects.
- Shortness of breath
- A dry cough that doesn't bring up phlegm (flem), or mucus
- Red eye
- Sensitivity to light
- Dryness
- Irregular heartbeat, including palpitations (a fluttering feeling of rapid heartbeats) and skipped beats
- Sudden loss of consciousness
- Joint pain.
- Muscle aches (myalgias).
- Muscle pain, a mass in a muscle, or muscle weakness
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Itching
Diagnosis
Tissue biopsy of skin or lymph nodes is the best criterion for diagnosis of sarcoidosis.
Treatment
Systemic sarcoidosis
Systemic glucocorticoids for active ocular disease, active pulmonary disease, cardiac arrhythmia, CNS involvement, or hypercalcemia.
Cutaneous Sarcoidosis
Glucocorticoids Local lntralesional triamcinolone, 3 mg/mL, effective for small lesions.
Systemic Glucocorticoids for widespread or
disfiguring involvement.
Hydroxychloroquine 100 mg bid for widespread or disfiguring lesions refractory to intralesional triamcinolone. Only sometimes effective.
Methotrexate Low-dose for widespread skin and systemic involvement. Not always effective.
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