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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2010; 31(4): 463-473
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1262214
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Rheumatologic Manifestations of Sarcoidosis

Nadera J. Sweiss1 , Karen Patterson2 , Ray Sawaqed3 , Umair Jabbar4 , Peter Korsten5 , Kyle Hogarth2 , Robert Wollman6 , Joe G.N Garcia7 , Timothy B. Niewold2 , Robert P. Baughman8
  • 1Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
  • 2Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
  • 3Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Methodist Hospital, Merrillville, Indiana
  • 4Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
  • 5Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
  • 6Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
  • 7Department of Medicine/Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
  • 8Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Publication History

Publication Date:
27 July 2010 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Sarcoidosis is a systemic, clinically heterogeneous disease characterized by the development of granulomas. Any organ system can be involved, and patients may present with any number of rheumatologic symptoms. There are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved therapies for the treatment of sarcoidosis. Diagnosing sarcoidosis becomes challenging, particularly when its complications cause patients’ symptoms to mimic other conditions, including polymyositis, Sjögren syndrome, or vasculitis. This review presents an overview of the etiology of and biomarkers associated with sarcoidosis. We then provide a detailed description of the rheumatologic manifestations of sarcoidosis and present a treatment algorithm based on current clinical evidence for patients with sarcoid arthritis. The discussion will focus on characteristic findings in patients with sarcoid arthritis, osseous involvement in sarcoidosis, and sarcoid myopathy. Arthritic conditions that sometimes coexist with sarcoidosis are described as well. We present two cases of sarcoidosis with rheumatologic manifestations. Our intent is to encourage a multidisciplinary, translational approach to meet the challenges and difficulties in understanding and treating sarcoidosis.

KEYWORDS

Sarcoidosis - rheumatic diseases - arthritis - myopathy

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Nadera J SweissM.D. 

Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center

5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC0930 Rm. N005B, Chicago, IL 60637

Email: nsweiss@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu

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