Sarcoidosis:A Mysterious Disease

Ever since the description of sarcoidosis in 1877 by Jonathan Hutchinson and Caesar Boeck in 1899, sarcoidosis has fascinated the medical fraternity with its unique manifestations. Sarcoidosis is an inflammation, which produces small lumps of cells in different organs of the human body. It generally begins in the form of lymph nodes either in the chest cavity or the lungs and often affects skin, eyes, liver and rarely the kidneys, breast, thyroid gland. In India, sarcoidosis is often mistaken for tuberculosis. However, this disease has marked its beginning in our country. Sarcoidosis is not cancer and not even a contagious disease. More than half the patients experience weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, fever, anorexia or just an overall feeling of ill health in addition to pulmonary and extra pulmonary symptoms. Due to high incidence of tuberculosis in India and similarity of sarcoidosis with pulmonary tuberculosis, there is often diagnostic dilemma. Sarcoidosis is diagnosed by chest X-ray, pulmonary function test, blood test, ACE test, biopsy, gallium scanning and bronchoalveolar lavage. Corticosteroids mainly prednisone is the drug of choice for inflammation and granuloma formation. The present review article covers the symptoms, pathological features, diagnostic tests, pharmacotherapy and measures to prevent sarcoidosis.