Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is an immune system disorder characterised by non-necrotising granulomas (small inflammatory nodules). Virtually any organ can be affected, however, granulomas most often appear in the lungs or the lymph nodes. Symptoms can occasionally appear suddenly but more often than not appear gradually. When viewing X-rays of the lungs, sarcoidosis can have the appearance of tuberculosis or lymphoma.

Signs and symptoms

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease that can affect any organ. Common symptoms are vague, such as fatigue unchanged by sleep, lack of energy, aches and pains, dry eyes, blurry vision, shortness of breath, a dry hacking cough or skin lesions. The cutaneous symptoms are protean, and range from rashes and noduli (small bumps) to erythema nodosum or lupus pernio.

Related Topics:
Fatigue - Lack of energy - Dry eyes - Shortness of breath - Cough - Rash - Erythema nodosum - Lupus pernio

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Renal, liver, heart or brain involvement may cause further symptoms and altered functioning. Manifestations in the eye include uveitis and retinal inflammation, which may result in loss of visual acuity or blindness. Sarcoidosis affecting the brain or nerves is known as neurosarcoidosis.

Related Topics:
Uveitis - Neurosarcoidosis

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Hypercalcemia (high calcium levels) and its symptoms may be the result of excessive vitamin D production.

Related Topics:
Hypercalcemia - Calcium - Vitamin D

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Sarcoidosis most often manifests as a restrictive disease of the lungs, causing a decrease in lung volume and decreased compliance (the ability to stretch). The vital capacity (full breath in, to full breath out) is decreased, and most of this air can be blown out in the first second. This means the FEV1/FVC ratio is increased from the normal of about 80%, to 90%.

Related Topics:
Lung volume - Compliance - FEV₁/FVC ratio

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