Sarcoidosis

Ann Marie Vlainich

Sarcoidosis•Is and autoimmune disease that attacks the body’s tissues. Described as Heightened Immunity, whereby the immune system overreacts resulting in tissue damage.

•Groups of cells become inflamed where they take on a granular shape (granulomas).

•When they form on an organ, they make affect the organs function.

•It’s known that Sarcoidosis is an immune disorder but whether the Immune response is a cause or effect of the disease is unknown.

SYMPTOMS and Diagnosis

• May be related to an organ or organs or nonspecific such as weight loss , loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, chills, night sweats.

• Symptoms may come and go and may mimic other diseases, so diagnosis may be the elimination of other possible diseases.

• Diagnosed mainly by chest x-ray since most cases start in the lungs and lymph nodes of the chest, but, given the patient’s area of complaint other tests like blood, biopsy, lung function are used.

Who Gets Sarcoidosis• In the U.S. it is most common among African Americans and people of Northern European descent, where African Americans are most affected with a risk as high as 2%. The risk is 2x higher for AA women than AA men.

• 20-40 years old.

• Risk of getting the disease is greater when someone in the family has it, which is why some believe there is a genetic link.

Sarcoidosis can Affect:• Lungs: Sarcoidosis usually starts in the lungs or lymph nodes of the chest with inflamed alveoli (sacs where oxygen and carbon

are exchanged). It may clear up or lead to granuloma formation and fibrosis (scarring). 90% of cases.

• Skin: 25-35%

• Eyes: 20-30%

• Liver: 30-40%

• Heart: 5-25%

• Nervous System: 1-5%

• Musculoskeletal System: 2-38%

• LUNGS: Cough that does not go away, shortness of breath, chest pain.

• LYMPH NODES: Enlarged in neck mostly but also under chin, armpits

and groin.

• SKIN: Painful, red, raised bumps on legs or arms (erythema nodosum),

discoloration of the nose, cheeks, lips and ears (lupus pernio) and small brown, painless skin patches.

• EYES: Burning, itching, tearing, pain, red eye, sensitivity to light (photophobia, dryness, seeing black spots (floaters)

and blurred vision.

• LIVER: Enlarged (hepatomegaly) or changes in liver exzymes.

• HEART: Weak heartbeat/shortness of breath, swelling in legs. Irregular heartbeat.

• NERVOUS SYSTEM: Facial paralysis, headache, confusion, malaise.

• MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM: Arthritis, periarthritis, arthralgia. Most common

that pain will be acute with swelling in lower legs

and tenderness in joints.

TREATMENT:

Is difficult because disease tends to come and go so many times thereIs no treatment.

If inflammation involved, initial treatment is usually corticosteroids like Prednisone to reduce inflammation orally but also used topicalCorticosteroids.

Depends on organs affected.

In general, Sarcoidosis appears briefly and clears itself without relapse.However, 20-30% are left with some lung damage, 10-15% have chroniccase and 5-10% can be fatal if vital organs are seriously affected.

Most people can lead a normal life.

http://www.mahalo.com/sarcoidosis

http://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarcoidosis/diseasefacts.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000076.htm

http://www.dermnet.org.nz/dermal-infiltrative/sarcoidosis.html