Rheumatologic manifestations of sarcoidosis

Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 2010 Aug;31(4):463-73. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1262214. Epub 2010 Jul 27.

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Algorithms
  • Arthritis / diagnosis
  • Arthritis / drug therapy
  • Arthritis / physiopathology
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscular Diseases / etiology
  • Muscular Diseases / physiopathology
  • Rheumatic Diseases / diagnosis
  • Rheumatic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Rheumatic Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Sarcoidosis / diagnosis
  • Sarcoidosis / drug therapy
  • Sarcoidosis / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Biomarkers