Sarcoidosis

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disorder of unknown cause that is characterized by its pathological hallmark, the noncaseating granuloma. Its presenting features are protean, ranging from asymptomatic but abnormal findings on chest radiography in many patients to progressive multiorgan failure in an unfortunate minority. The illness can be self-limited or chronic, with episodic recrudescence and remissions. Because the lungs and thoracic lymph nodes are almost always involved, most patients report acute or insidious respiratory problems, variably accompanied by symptoms affecting the skin, eyes, or other organs. The diverse manifestations of this disorder help fuel the prevailing hypothesis that sarcoidosis has more . . .