Probably not everyone has heard of such an ailment as sarcoidosis. What kind of disease can be found in this article. Sarcoidosis is a fairly rare autoimmune disease of unknown origin, affecting primarily the respiratory system. At the same time, granulomas are formed in the body - pathological accumulations of immune cells that attack healthy tissues. Granulomas, as a rule, are formed in the peripheral and internal lymph nodes, lungs, skin, and eyes. Less commonly, they are found in the kidneys, liver, heart, bones, skeletal muscle, brain, and salivary glands. It is believed that women from 30 to 40 years old are more susceptible to the disease.
Sarcoidosis What is this disease and what are its symptoms?
The ailment is often asymptomatic or with mild signs. Severe symptoms are rare. Sarcoidosis is characterized by a variety of clinical manifestations, which depend on the location of the lesion.
Most often (in 90% of cases), the lungs are involved in the pathological process, so the main symptom of the disease is an increase in intrathoracic lymph nodes. Some patients have no complaints, while others may experience a dry cough, fever, muscle weakness, shortness of breath during physical work, and severe lung damage (pulmonary failure, fibrosis).
Erythema nodosum is often associated with a disease such as sarcoidosis. What are these signs? As a rule, skin manifestations, in which dense, convex, painful nodes of a crimson color are usually formed on the anterior part of the lower leg. Erythema nodosum is characterized by pain in the ankles and knees, with joint pain occurring first, and only a few days later, nodes appear. The presence of such symptoms indicates the most favorable course of sarcoidosis.
With the disease, eyes may be affected. In this case, granulomas are formed in the conjunctiva. As a rule, patients complain of pain, dryness, redness of the eyes, visual impairment. Late diagnosed sarcoid lesions of the eyes are fraught with complete blindness.
Since sarcoidosis is a systemic disease, it can affect other organs. With kidney damage, urolithiasis develops, hearts - angina pectoris and heart failure, pituitary gland - diabetes insipidus. Granulomas in the liver may not appear in any way, sometimes they cause its increase, while the functions of the organ are preserved.
Sarcoidosis Stages of the disease
Based on the x-ray, three stages of development of pulmonary sarcoidosis are distinguished . On the first, bilateral damage to the intrathoracic lymph nodes is noted. The second is characterized by an increase in lymph nodes and lung tissue infiltration without fibrosis. In the third, pronounced pulmonary fibrosis is observed without an increase in lymph nodes. The first and second stages are often asymptomatic or have extrapulmonary manifestations, typical complaints, such as coughing or shortness of breath, are absent.
Sarcoidosis Diagnostics
The disease is determined by x-ray examination by characteristic dimming in the chest picture. Granulomas also form during pulmonary tuberculosis, therefore, an additional sampling of the affected tissue (biopsy) can be performed, or a skin tuberculin test can be performed. As for blood, the level of ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) is elevated in sarcoidosis.
Treatment
Usually, a pulmonologist treats an ailment such as sarcoidosis. What kind of treatment is this? After the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor determines with a series of tests whether the disease is in a favorable form or is active. With a favorable course of the disease, treatment is usually not required: spontaneous self-healing occurs in more than half of the cases.
If the process has not gone beyond the chest, this is considered a good sign. In the presence of erythema nodosum, the disease passes through 1-1.5 years. In other cases, it will take several years to recover, sometimes it takes a lifetime to be treated. The prognosis is unfavorable if severe respiratory failure has developed, kidneys, heart, brain, eyes are affected.
With the active form of the disease, corticosteroids are treated that eliminate joint pain, shortness of breath. In addition, cytostatics are used that suppress the uncontrolled reproduction of immune cells.
Patients are advised to give up smoking and eating refined carbohydrates. Dairy products should also be excluded, which is associated with an increased content of calcium in urine and blood.