Sarcoidosis

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Erythema nodosum associated with sarcoidosis	Respiratory system	Sarcoid, stage I - chest X-ray	Sarcoid, stage II - chest X-ray
Sarcoid, stage IV - chest X-ray	Sarcoid - close-up of the skin lesions	Sarcoidosis - close-up	Sarcoidosis on the elbow
Sarcoidosis on the nose and forehead

Sarcoidosis symptoms often resolve on their own gradually without treatment.

Severely affected patients may need treatment with corticosteroids. Therapy may continue for one or two years. Some of the most severely affected patients may require life-long therapy.

Immunosuppressive agents, such as methotrexate, azathioprine, and cyclophosphamide, are sometimes used in addition to corticosteroids. Rarely, some individuals with irreversible organ failure require an organ transplant.

Many people are not seriously ill, and the disease may resolve without treatment. About 30 - 50% of cases resolve without treatment in 3 years. About 20% of those with lung involvement will develop lung damage. Death from sarcoidosis is rare.

• Diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Anterior uveitis
• Glaucoma and blindness (rare)
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Cranial or peripheral nerve palsies
• Kidney stones
• Organ failure, leading to the need for a transplant

Call your health care provider if you have difficulty breathing, vision changes, palpitations, or other symptoms of this disorder.

Review Date: 03/01/2007
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.