Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis.

J Autoimmun

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Published: December 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • - Sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that arises in genetically susceptible individuals after exposure to certain antigens, primarily affecting the lungs but potentially impacting any organ, including the heart, nervous system, and eyes, which can lead to severe complications.
  • - Diagnosis is typically easier when typical symptoms and biopsy findings are present, but it becomes more complex when symptoms manifest in areas outside the lungs without accompanying lung issues.
  • - First-line treatment for sarcoidosis involves corticosteroids, while immunosuppressive or biologic medications are used for patients who do not respond to steroids or have refractory disease.

Article Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease of unknown origin that develops when a genetically susceptible host is exposed to an antigen, leading to an exuberant immune response characterized by granulomatous inflammation. Although lung involvement is almost universal as well as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, virtually any organ can be affected. In particular, sarcoidosis of the heart, nervous system, and eyes can be devastating, leading to death, debilitation and blindness, and a multidisciplinary approach involving expert specialists is required for prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Sarcoidosis of the skin can be disfiguring, thus posing a substantial psychologic and social impact on the patients. The diagnosis is often straightforward in the presence of compatible clinical manifestations in patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis, but is challenging when extrapulmonary signs/symptoms occur in isolation. Corticosteroids remain the first line therapy, with immunosuppressive or biologic agents being reserved to patients failing or experiencing side effects from steroids or developing refractory disease.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2024.103323DOI Listing

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