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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Monday, May 12, 2008
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Monday, May 12, 2008
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Sarcoidosis is an uncommon disease that most frequently involves the lungs and lymph nodes, but can affect virtually any part of the body. In most cases, sarcoidosis causes minimal symptoms and requires no specific treatment. However, serious complications can arise when sarcoidosis becomes very active in the brain, eyes, heart or lungs and in individuals who develop disfiguring skin manifestations. These patients often respond to appropriate therapy. It is often difficult to predict who will eventually require treatment or how long treatment will be required. For this reason, it is currently recommended that patients with sarcoidosis see their doctor at least once a year, even if they are feeling well, and more frequently if they are experiencing significant symptoms or if they are receiving treatment.
One common symptom of sarcoidosis is fatigue, which probably does reflect disease activity (e.g., total burden of inflammation). However, it is not readily measured (except with simple patient surveys) and is very non-specific. Therefore, fatigue is not commonly a subject of research investigations (or publications). This being said, some patients have such severe fatigue that treatment to reduce the amount of inflammation is necessary for the sake of improving their functional status (as opposed to preventing organ damage, which is the usual reason for treatment).
While sarcoidosis remains a mysterious disease, researchers are making progress towards understanding its cause. Normally, our immune system defends our body against infections and other environmental dangers, but sarcoidosis is associated with abnormal activation of the immune system in the absence of an identifiable cause. Evidence for a genetic cause of sarcoidosis is growing. It has long been known that sarcoidosis runs in certain families and is more common in certain ethnic groups. For instance, sarcoidosis is much more common and tends to be more severe in African Americans than in whites, suggesting that genetics plays an important role. In this regard, certain genetic mutations appear to influence the severity of sarcoidosis. In addition to genetics, some studies indicate that sarcoidosis may represent a reaction to certain environmental exposures that are difficult to detect by common laboratory tests. Considered together, most experts would agree that sarcoidosis is influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Most patients who have sarcoidosis will live a normal lifestyle, including a normal lifespan, and will require little or no treatment for their disease. A healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and the avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol intake, and regular follow-up with a doctor are recommended for optimal health.
This article is a NetWellness exclusive. 
Last Reviewed: Sep 13, 2006
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Elliott D. Crouser, MD Assistant Professor Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine The Ohio State University |
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