The Risk of Sarcoidosis Misdiagnosis and the Harmful Effect of Corticosteroids When the Disease Picture Is Incomplete

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a complex granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Due to the heterogeneity of the disease, the diagnosis remains challenging in many cases, often at the physician’s discretion, requiring a thorough and complex investigation. Many other granulomatous diseases have the potential to mimic sarcoidosis, whether infectious, occupational, or autoimmune diseases and starting an unnecessary corticosteroid treatment can worsen the patient’s prognosis, leading to side effects that can be harder to treat than the actual disease.

Keywords

• sarcoidosis
• misdiagnosis
• corticosteroids
• immunomodulatory agents