Sarcoidosis

Background

• Abnormal collection of inflammatory cells (grandulomas) throughout the body.
  • Most common location for granulomas to occur are the lung, skin, heart, and brain.
  • Exact cause unknown - thought to be related to an immune reaction to a prior insult such as infection or chemical exposure earlier in life.
  • Do not confuse with infectious granulomatous processes such as pulmonary tuberculosis.

Sarcoid Xray - hilar adenopathy

Clinical Features

• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Arthralgias
• Blurry vision
• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Skin lesions
• Asymptomatic (about 5% of cases)

Differential Diagnosis

• Malignancy
• Tuberculosis
• Coccidiodomycosis
• Histiocytosis X
• Wegener's granulomatosis
• Churg-Strauss syndrome
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Polymyalgia rheumatica