Sarcoidosis - how to protect themselves?

  Sarcoidosis - a disease is an inflammation of various tissues. Sarcoidosis can affect almost any organ of the body, but most often it begins its spread to the lungs or lymph nodes. During the progression of disease in affected tissues there are specific sites of inflammation in the form of microscopic nodules, called granulomas. In most cases, granulomas disappear during treatment or even without it. In rare cases where the granulomas do not respond to treatment and persist in tissues involved in the process, as a rule, is produced inflammation and scarring (fibrous tissue). In addition to the lungs and lymph nodes, more than others susceptible to sarcoidosis organs such as the liver, skin, heart, nervous system and kidneys, respectively.

Sometimes called sarcoidosis according to the defeat of the body it causes:

• When sarcoidosis affects the lungs, called pulmonary sarcoidosis.
• When struck by the liver - a liver sarcoidosis.
• If the skin is struck - a cutaneous sarcoidosis.
• When the disease affects the heart, called cardiac sarcoidosis.
• When struck by the nervous system, including the brain, is a neurologic sarcoidosis.
• When the disease affects the kidney, called the renal sarcoidosis.

The causes of sarcoidosis

The reasons why the disease occurs is unknown. It is currently believed that sarcoidosis associated with atypical immune response. It is not clear what mechanism causes abnormalities in the immune system. Perhaps this is a foreign substance, a chemical drug, a virus or some other factor.

Although sarcoidosis can occur in families, there is no evidence that it is a hereditary disease.

Symptoms of sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis can appear suddenly and then disappear. Conversely, it can progress slowly and cause symptoms that may occur throughout the life of the patient.

Symptoms depend on which body tissues are damaged:

• Shortness of breath (dyspnea) and persistent cough may be one of the first symptoms of sarcoidosis.
• But sarcoidosis can also occur suddenly in the form of skin rashes:

1. Painful red bumps (called subcutaneous sarcoidosis, erythema or nodes) in the legs, sometimes on hands - quite common symptoms that cause pain in the hands and feet.
2. Often there are rashes on the face (cutaneous sarcoidosis).

• It may also begin eye inflammation.

The most common symptoms of sarcoidosis include:

• Weight loss
• Fatiguability
• Night sweat
• Fever
• Just a general malaise

It is important to remember that sarcoidosis usually does not cause irreparable harm. He often goes away on its own or be cured for a period of 24 to 36 months. Even if the disease is delayed for a longer period, most patients can lead a normal life.

When to see a doctor

Any person suffering from shortness of breath or persistent cough should see a doctor to check your medical condition. In addition, a medical examination is required for people who have not passed a rash, falling weight, appeared fatigue, nocturnal hot flashes and / or temperature. Also see your doctor regularly is necessary for patients who are already diagnosed with "sarcoidosis".

Examinations and Tests

Preliminary diagnosis of sarcoidosis is based on the patient's medical history, routine tests, the results of the physical examination, and chest radiography. The doctor confirms the diagnosis of "sarcoidosis" by excluding all other diseases with similar symptoms.

By the way include the following granulomatous disease:

• Beryllium (a disease caused by intoxication metal beryllium)
• Tuberculosis, "light farmer" (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)
• Fungal infections
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Acute rheumatic fever and
• Lymph node cancer (lymphoma)

If the diagnosis can not only rely on the results of a single test. Chest x-ray and blood tests are usually conducted first. Pulmonary function test is usually the key to diagnosis. There are also other studies, some frequently, some less.

Biopsy tissue samples of the damaged organ - a crucial test that can lead a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Many studies used for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, may also help the doctor determine the course of the disease and find out whether there is an improvement.

Sarcoidosis Beck

Sarcoidosis Beck - a systemic disease characterized by the development of epithelioid cell granulomas, (inflammatory nodules) in various organs and tissues. Most often affects the intrathoracic lymph nodes Lymph nodes - what keeps our immune system   and lungs and skin, eyes, liver, and spleen. Characteristic granulomas may occur in any organ or tissue. Are no exception, even the nervous system and heart.

The term "sarcoid" (sarcomatoid) first applied the Norwegian dermatologist Ts.Bek, pointing to the resemblance of skin changes with sarcoma. That is why the disease is often called sarcoidosis Beck. There is also an extended name - disease Besnier - Boeck - Schaumann but names of scientists who participated in the first descriptions of the disease.

It is believed that the cause of sarcoidosis is hereditary characteristics of the immune system response to certain external environment.

Sarcoidosis - classification

By the nature of sarcoidosis is divided into acute, subacute and chronic. The form of sarcoidosis distinguish various organs and tissues. According Mezhdknarodnoy Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) sarcoidosis is related to the class of "Diseases of the blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism" and is divided as follows:

• D86 Sarcoidosis
• D86.0 Sarcoidosis of the lungs
• D86.1 Sarcoidosis of lymph nodes
• D86.2 Sarcoidosis of lung with sarcoidosis of lymph nodes
• D86.3 Sarcoidosis of skin
• D86.8 Sarcoidosis of other specified locations and combined
• D86.9 Sarcoidosis, unspecified.

In sarcoidosis of the chest is usually used for the classification of radiological data. Stages of Sarcoidosis:

• Stage 0 - changes on the chest radiograph is not;
• Stage I - hilar lymph nodes; changes in lung tissue not;
• Stage II - hilar lymph nodes; changes in lung tissue; pulmonary sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis of the lungs - the most common form of the disease   2 degree (stage) - the most characteristic manifestations of the disease;
• Stage III - the changes of the lung tissue without increasing the intrathoracic lymph nodes;
• Stage IV - the irreversible pulmonary fibrosis - replacement of lung tissue by connective tissue.

Sarcoidosis 2 degrees

That's right - sarcoidosis stage 2. At this stage, most often occurs identifying respiratory sarcoidosis. It is characterized by an increase in intrathoracic lymph nodes, and the development of characteristic granulomas in the lung tissue. At this stage most of the first symptoms of the disease - bouts of fatigue and cough. Dry cough can significantly disturb the patients. At this stage of the disease appear as pain undefined character in the chest and a discomfort in the same area, causing anxiety in patients.

All this is often the reason for seeking medical attention, examination of the patient and the establishment of a correct diagnosis.

Cough in sarcoidosis

Cough appears in sarcoidosis BHL (VGLU). In this case it is the result of compression of enlarged lymph nodes bronchial tubes. The cough is usually dry, accompanied by pain and discomfort of uncertain nature in the chest.

When granulomas in the lung tissue is enhanced cough, paroxysmal character can wear. As for the treatment of sarcoidosis are used glucocorticoid hormones that actively suppress inflammation, and with it immunity to pulmonary sarcoidosis often joins bacterial, tubercular, fungal or viral infection. Accordingly, this leads to a change in the character of cough.

When bacterial infection becomes wet cough, cough muco-purulent sputum, fungal and viral infections may enhance dry cough Dry cough - whether to worry about it? . In tuberculosis cough can be both dry and wet character.

The temperature in sarcoidosis

The temperature in sarcoidosis may be different - it all depends on the disease. The most characteristic is the gradual asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic onset of the disease, which is not accompanied by a rise in temperature. For subacute characterized by a slight rise in temperature (low-grade fever).

Much rarer disease begins acutely, with fever, chills, malaise and headache, joint pain Joint pain - how to understand what is going on?   and muscles. This disease can progress rapidly, therefore, requires emergency treatment.

In recurrent disease or the temperature does not rise at all, or is low grade.

Relapse of sarcoidosis

The emergence of a relapse of sarcoidosis is impossible to predict. It may take a few months or years after treatment, and seemingly complete recovery. Experts note that the less developed recurrences after spontaneous cure sarcoidosis. After drug treatment, particularly after using hormonal therapy, recurrences are more frequent.

That is why doctors do not rush to treat early stages of new-onset sarcoidosis, if the disease is mild or asymptomatic. The only exceptions are the defeat of the heart and nervous system - a form of sarcoidosis is too dangerous, so be sure to be treated.