|
Sarcoidosis Causes and Risks:
The cause of the disease is unknown. Possible causes include a hypersensitivity response, a genetic predisposition, or chemicals. The incidence is highest among North Americans of African heritage and Northern European Caucasians. Women of African heritage are affected more than men of African heritage. The onset of the disease usually occurs in people between 30 and 50 years old. The incidence is 2 out of 10,000 people. Sarcoidosis is very rare in young children, if it occurs it is more likely in adolescence.
Prevention:
unknown
Symptoms:
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease: Note: There may be no symptoms.
Signs and Tests:
This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:
Treatment:
Sarcoidosis symptoms require treatment with corticosteroids. Therapy may continue for 1 or 2 years, although some affected may require lifelong therapy.
Prognosis:
Many people are not seriously ill, and the disease may resolve without treatment. About 20% of those with lung involvement will develop residual lung damage. Death from respiratory insufficiency occurs in about 5% of patients.
Complications:
Call Your Healthcare Provider:
Call your health care provider if difficulty breathing , vision changes, palpitations , or other symptoms develop.
Sarcoid on the chest: This multi-system disease occurs most commonly in young adults. Skin manifestations of sarcoidosis usually consist of a red (erythematous), flat, and bumpy rash. Organs other than the skin that are commonly affected include the lungs, kidneys, eyes, and joints.
Sarcoid is primarily a lung (pulmonary) disease. In the early stages, a chest film may show enlargement of lymph nodes in the center of the chest near the heart (mediastinum).
Sarcoid causes damage to the lung tissue that heals by scarring. The film shows a diffuse milky and granular appearance in the normally dark lung areas. This individual has marked decrease in lung function.
This film shows advanced sarcoid, scarring of the lungs (the light streaking), and cavity formation (the dark areas in the upper right side of the picture).
Erythema nodosum consists of red to reddish purple hard (indurated) nodules which are painful to the slightest touch. These are most commonly seen on the shins (as pictured), but may occur on the thighs or elsewhere. They often occur in association with a group of widely varied diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), sarcoidosis, coccidioidomycosis, SLE, other fungal infections, and some drugs.
Sarcoid - close-up of the skin lesions: 20 to 25 percent of individuals with sarcoidosis have skin manifestations as seen in this picture. The extent of the skin manifestations is difficult to predict, but the most common are red papules that are translucent as seen here.
Erythema nodosum usually occurs in association with specific infections, inflammatory conditions, or medications. It consists of painful, hot, red skin lumps, usually over the shins. People with erythema nodosum should be evaluated for other disease processes.
This picture shows reddish-purple, hard (indurated), painful nodules (Erythema nodosum) that occur most commonly on the shins. These lesions may anywhere on the body and may be associated with tuberculosis (TB), sarcoidosis, coccidioidomycosis, systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), fungal infections, or in response to medications.
Typical sarcoid lesions consist of red, raised lesions (papules) and patches (plaques) with minimal surrounding skin change.
These lesions of sarcoidosis are located on the elbow and are red, elevated patches (plaques). The cause of sarcoidosis remains unknown.
These are sarcoid lesions on the face. These lesions often appear in scars, as is seen in this photograph.
|
