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Sarcoidosis: Sarcoidosis Clinic
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"At the moment, our faculty, Fellows and researchers follow about 400 patients with sarcoidosis," Dr. Sharma says. He has published original studies dealing with clinical, radiologic, immunologic, physiologic and biochemical aspects of the disease based on his experience with these patients. The disease occurs all over the world. In fact, sarcoidosis appears most prominently in Scandinavian countries, with an incidence rate of 600 per 100,000 population. Japan ... has a high incidence rate, yet these patients, for unknown reasons, contract a milder form of the disease.
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Since its initial presentation as a cutaneous disease sarcoidosis has aroused a multitude of responses from clinicians as well as basic scientists concerning the etiology of this disease. Early in its history due to its cutaneous predominance it was likened to syphilis and later because of lymph node involvement to lymphoma of the Hodgkins variety. The most obvious correlation because of its histologic hallmark the granuloma was tuberculosis which it was believed to represent in some aberrant fashion a theory which is still not impossible although less likely. A variety of infectious agents have been proposed based on anecdotal reports of culture positivity, histologic visualization or blood and tissue immunoreactivity with infectious antigens. None of these has been born out and none has satisfied Koch's postulates. Basically a fairly extensive search for an antigen has been fruitless.
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Since sarcoidosis is relatively rare, there is no great fund of money for research into its causes and potential treatments or cures. There is some work ongoing, in the U.S. and world-wide, mostly at very low levels such as cellular physiology, immunology, and genetics. For example, one recent publication had an article from a group in Japan that has discovered what may be a marker for a genetic risk factor for sarcoidosis. Whether work at this level will lead to anything of clinical use remains to be seen, but these published results are small steps along the path to understanding of this disease.
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In addition to synonyms and related conditions, physicians may refer to sarcoidosis using certain coding systems. The International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) is the most commonly used system of classification for the world’s illnesses. Your physician may use this coding system as an administrative or tracking tool. The following classification is commonly used for sarcoidosis:
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Mental Health: Research shows that more than half of people with sarcoidosis symptoms ... show signs of clinical depression. Depression can affect your work, your studies, how well you sleep, and even your appetite. Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and anxiety are all signs of depression that you should talk to your doctor about. Certainly if you are having suicidal thoughts you should tell your doctor. Depression is treatable. Medications and/or talk therapy are often helpful.
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Granulomatous cutaneous involvement was demonstrated in 65 (15.3%) of 425 patients with systemic sarcoidosis. In 14 (22%) of the 65 patients, the cutaneous biopsy specimen showed foreign particles in polarized light. The skin lesions corresponded to 3 different clinical patterns: an admixture of papules and infiltration of previously undetected minute scars (n = 6); scar sarcoidosis (n = 4); and subcutaneous nodules (n = 4). The lesions were located most frequently in the extremities, involving the knees in 10 patients.
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Sarcoidosis Clinic