Sarcoid Lung Disease

Sarcoidosis is a disease that causes the formation and growth of tiny masses of inflammatory cells; the lungs are one of the organs most commonly affected. Abnormal immune system activity seems to trigger sarcoidosis, and its effects vary from person to person. Usually it resolves itself on its own, but some patients experience symptoms for years or even a lifetime.

Symptoms

• Sarcoidosis can develop over a period of years and last for years or it can appear and disappear rapidly. Typically, you might experience a persistent cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, fever, weight loss, small red bumps on your face, arms and buttocks, red, watery eyes and arthritis in the ankles, elbows, wrists or hands.

Causes

• The exact cause of sarcoidosis has not been determined but is most likely the result of an improper immune response to a toxin, drug or other substance that enters the body through the airways. White blood cells respond too strongly to these harmful organisms and trigger inflammation.

  Another possible cause is a genetic predisposition triggered by something in the environment. Research investigating this link is currently underway.

Risk Factors

• Certain characteristics seem to be linked to developing sarcoidosis. In the United States, African-Americans are more likely to get this disease than whites, and black women are affected twice as often as black men. Worldwide, people of Asian, German, Irish, Puerto Rican and Scandinavian descent have a higher incidence, suggesting a possible ethnic or geographic link. You are most likely to get sarcoidosis between the ages of 20 and 40.

Complications

• Two-thirds of people with sarcoidosis recover with no lasting effects, but if you are in the remaining third, several complications can result. If you experience it in your lungs, permanent scarring is possible, making it difficult to breathe. Eye problems ranging from redness and watering to more serious problems like glaucoma and blindness are possible. You might also experience tender red bumps on the shins which promote arthritis and swelling; infertility; heart and liver problems. Rarely, facial paralysis and other nerve problems develop.

Treatment

• Many people do not need treatment for this condition as it often goes away on its own. If your lungs are affected, your doctor will usually monitor the condition for three to 12 months and start a course of treatment if the inflammation has not improved or has gotten worse.

  The steroid drug prednisone imitates the actions of hormones in the body that reduce inflammation. You may need this treatment for several years, using as a low a dose as possible due to the risk of side effects such as high blood pressure, cataracts, diabetes, lowered immunity and weight gain.

  If steroids are not an option, you may be prescribed drugs that quell inflammation by suppressing the immune system, including methotrexate and azathioprine.