Who Gets Sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis is found around the world among almost all races, ages and sexes. However, it is most common among African Americans and northern European whites. Sarcoidosis is mainly a disease of young adults-patients between the ages of 25 to 40, although a few people past 60 have been known to have it.

In the United States, a higher percentage of African Americans than white Americans contract sarcoidosis, and the disease can be more serious.

How Will My Doctor Treat Me?

In the majority of patients the disease spontaneously disappears and no treatment is necessary. Drugs called corticosteroids are the most important treatment used in fighting sarcoidosis. Some physicians prescribe steroids when there are no symptoms but just abnormalities seen on the chest x-ray or in the lung function measurements. Other physicians wait for symptoms to appear before prescribing corticosteroids.

Patients should follow their doctor's directions. This can be a continuation of your normal lifestyle. When drugs are prescribed, they should be taken faithfully, just as the physician orders. It is particularly important that the sarcoidosis patient doesn't smoke!

What Causes Sarcoidosis?

This is a big part of the mystery-no one knows. Some physicians belive sarcoidosis results from inhalation of an infectious or allergic substance from the environment. Others believe that the disease is a basic problem in alteration of the cellular immune system.