Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that mainly develops between 25 and 40 years of age and primarily affects the lungs and the lymphatic system. Generally accepted pathogenic hypothesis is that certain environmental agents could promote sarcoidosis in genetically susceptible hosts. The characteristic lesion of sarcoidosis is a noncaseating granuloma that consist of epithelioid cells and T lymphocytes. Diverse clinical courses are observed according to the epidemiologic factors, involved organs, and disease severity. Spontaneous remissions occur in approximately two thirds of patients, but the course is chronic or deteriorative in 10 to 30%. Mortality, ranging between 1 and 5%, is mostly related to progressive respiratory insufficiency, or central nervous system or myocardial involvement. The mainstay of treatment for sarcoidosis is systemic corticosteroid administration. However, the indication, optimal dose, and duration of corticosteroid therapy continue to be controversial.