Sarcoidosis Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a type of inflammation that occurs in various locations of the body for no known reason. Normally, when foreign substances or organisms enter the body, the immune system will fight back by activating an immune response. Inflammation is a normal part of this immune response, but it should subside once the foreign antigen is gone. In sarcoidosis, the inflammation persists, and some of the immune cells form abnormal clumps of tissue called granulomas. The disease can affect any organ in the body, but it is most likely to occur in the lungs. It can also affect the skin, eyes, liver, or lymph nodes. Although the cause of sarcoidosis is not known, research suggests that it may be due to an extreme immune response or extreme sensitivity to certain substances. It also seems to have a genetic component as well, and tends to run in families. Sarcoidosis most commonly develops in people between 20 and 50 years of age. African Americans are somewhat more likely to develop sarcoidosis than Caucasians, and females are somewhat more likely to develop sarcoidosis than males. The symptoms of sarcoidosis depend on the organ involved. This book deals with the diagnosis and treatment of this mysterious disease of unknown etiology.