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What is Sarcoidosis? |
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Symptoms
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory illness which begins in the lungs, but eventually afflicts any or all organs of the body, such as the liver, heart, and the nervous system. Although it can generally develop in any person despite gender and age, people aged between twenty and forty, and those of Scandinavian and African-American descent carry an increased susceptibility to it. Sarcoidosis progresses steadily, and symptoms can either persist for years, or it can disappear as abruptly as it appeared. The patient may experience a loss in weight, a vague sensation of feebleness and fatigue; fevers, or small reddish bumps on the butt, arms, and face (African-Americans are more likely to bear this); reddish, watering eyes; and joint arthritis which is possibly linked to the skin bumps on the shins.
Causes
Doctors are still looking for the nature of the disease, but most believe that it can arise when the body’s immune system over-responds to a potentially hostile toxin, medication, or pathogen which invades the body via the airway cavities. Some believe that the catalyst can be nontuberculous mycobacteria, a non-infectious strain which belongs to the same group of bacteria which causes tuberculosis. In some cases, genes may be a contributing factor. Ongoing research aims to determine the potential contributions of genetic and environmental factors for the development of the disease. Normally, the immune system is a preventive agent, but in sarcoidosis, the immune components which respond to invasions (called T-helper lymphocytes) overreact to a threat, triggering localized inflammations in the body (garnulomas). As the condition develops, inflammation and scarring occur within the air sac tissues, making the lungs rigid and decreasing its air intake capacity.
Diagnosis
A chest X-ray is initially conducted, and the doctor will perform further diagnostic procedures based on the results. A non-invasive lung function test can measure the lung’s capacity, as well as the efficiency of air flow to and from the organ. Blood tests may be done to check the levels of calcium and angiotensin converting enzymes in the bloodstream, as patients with sarcoidosis have above-normal results. A lung biopsy may also be conducted with the use of a bronchoscope, a thin, flexible strip which is introduced to the interior of air passages. Samples of areas other than the lungs may be collected as well if the condition has afflicted these parts, including the skin and the lymph nodes, and related eye injuries may be examined with the use of a high-intensity lamp.
Treatment Info
Treatment may not be necessary if the condition is only localized to the lungs and the adjacent lymph nodes, and since sarcoidosis usually disappears if left alone at the early stages, the patient will only be closely monitored for changes. If chest X-rays hint of widespread inflammation, the patient may be monitored for up to a year, and treatment is only opted for if the condition doesn’t improve after such time. Prescription medications usually involve corticosteroid prednisone, a potent anti-inflammatory agent which simulates the effect of the adrenaline hormone in the body. The treatment may be given in very low doses for a period of a few years, since the symptoms usually return once it is discontinued.
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