Sarcoidosis: many faces, one disease. A narrative review

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. It affects patients from all the latitudes and ages, being more frequent between the third and the fourth decades of life and with a second peak around the sixth decade of age in the Japanese and Scandinavian population. It’s more common in women, and it has a more severe course in Afro-descendant population. The antigens that start the granulomatous response are unknown, but presumed that be airborne antigens, because of the high frequency of pulmonary involvement. Its clinical presentation is variable, ranging from acute self-limited presentation to chronic disease with progressive organ damage and death. Its diagnosis relies upon the demonstration of noncaseating granulomas in the affected tissue and the exclusion of other conditions including mycobacteria infections.

Keywords

• Lung
• Lymphadenopathy
• Sarcoidosis