Is there a remedy against sarcoidosis?

Is there a remedy against sarcoidosis?

?is there a remedy against sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a disease that causes inflammation of body tissues.

The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown.

Sarcoidosis usually affects the lungs and skin.

The diagnosis is suggested by the patient's medical history, routine exams, physical examination, and chest X-ray.

Many patients with sarcoidosis do not require treatment.

For the most serious illness, cortisone-related medications are used. Other treatments are considered, as above, depending on what parts of the body are affected and to what extent.

What is sarcoidosis?

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Sarcoidosis is a disease that results from a specific inflammation of body tissues like. It can appear in almost any organ of the body, but more often it begins in the lungs or lymph nodes.

The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown. The disease may appear suddenly and disappear. Or it can develop gradually and continue to produce symptoms that come and go, sometimes throughout life.

As sarcoidosis progresses, microscopic pieces of a specific form of inflammation called granulomas appear on affected tissues. In most cases, these granulomas are longer, with or without treatment. In the few cases where granulomas do not heal and disappear, the tissues tend to remain inflamed and heal (fibrosis).

Sarcoidosis was first identified for more than 100 years by two dermatologists working independently, Dr. Jonathan Hutchinson in England and Dr. Caesar Boeck in Norway. Sarcoidosis was originally called Hutchinson's disease or illness Boeck. Dr. Boeck fashioned the current name of the disease of the Greek words "Sark" and "oid", which means similar flesh. The term describes rashes that are often caused by the disease.

What are the causes and risk factors for sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis is a spontaneous disease of unknown cause. A predisposing risk factor for the development of sarcoidosis is not known.

Increased cellular immune response in diseased tissue is characterized by a significant increase in T cells activated with certain antigens characteristic of the cell surface, as well as in activated alveolar macrophages. 

This pronounced and localized cellular response is also accompanied by the appearance in the lung of a variety of mediators believed to contribute to the disease process; These include interleukin-1, interleukin-2, B-cell growth factor, B-cell differentiation factor, fibroblast growth factor, and fibronectin.

 Because a number of lung diseases follow respiratory infections, verifying that a virus may be involved in the events that led to sarcoidosis remains an important area of ​​research.

Some recent observations seem suggestive on this subject. in these

Studies, cytomegalovirus (CMV) genes, a common pathogenic virus, were introduced into cells and the expression of viral genes was investigated. We found that viral genes were expressed both during acute infection of the cells and when the virus did not respond within the cells. However, this expression only occurred when T cells are activated by a deleterious event. 

In addition, the product of a CMV gene was found capable of activating the gene in the alveolar macrophages responsible for the production of interleukin-1. Since levels of interleukin-1 appear to increase in the alveolar macrophages of patients with sarcoidosis, this suggests that certain viral genes may enhance the production of inflammatory components associated with sarcoidosis. The question of whether these results involve viral infections in the disease process in sarcoidosis is unclear

What are the signs and symptoms of sarcoidosis?

Shortness of breath (dyspnea) and cough that does not go away may be one of the first symptoms of sarcoidosis. However, sarcoidosis can also occur suddenly, with the onset of the rash. Red lumps (erythema nodosum) on the face, arms, shins and inflammation of the eyes are also common signs and symptoms.

However, it is not uncommon that the symptoms of sarcoidosis are more general. Weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, fever or just an overall health feeling can also be a sign of illness.

Signs and symptoms that suggest possible sarcoidosis

In addition to the lungs and lymph nodes, the body's organs are more prone than others

Affected by sarcoidosis are the liver, skin, heart, nervous system and kidneys, in that order of frequency. Patients may have symptoms related to the specific organ affected, may have only general symptoms, or may be without any symptoms. Symptoms may also vary depending on the duration of the disease, the formation of granulomas, the amount of tissue involved and the activation of the granulomatous process.

Even if there are no symptoms, the doctor can sometimes detect signs of sarcoidosis during a routine examination, usually a chest x-ray, or when checking another complaint. The patient's age and race or ethnicity may raise an additional red flag that a sign or symptom of the disease may be related to sarcoidosis. Enlargement of the salivary glands and tearing or cysts in bone tissue are also among the signs of sarcoidosis.

The lungs are usually the first site involved in sarcoidosis. In fact, approximately nine out of 10 patients with sarcoidosis have a type of lung problem, of which almost one third of these patients with respiratory-cough symptoms usually reached either dry or dyspnea. Sometimes patients have chest pain and sealing sensation in the chest.

It is believed that lung sarcoidosis begins with the inflammation of the alveoli (alveolitis), the air sac-shaped spaces lower in the lungs, where carbon dioxide and oxygen are exchanged. The dry alveolitis disappears spontaneously or leads to the formation of granulomas. Finally, fibrosis can occur, which causes the lungs to harden and make breathing even harder.

Eye disease occurs in approximately 20% to 30% of patients with sarcoidosis, especially in children with the disease. Almost any part of the eye can be affected - the membranes of the eye, the cornea, the outer layer of the eyeball (scleroderm), the retina and the lens. Achievement of the eye may begin with symptoms or with watery or rusty eyes. In some cases, cataracts, glaucoma and blindness may result.

The skin is affected by approximately 20% of patients with sarcoidosis. Cutaneous sarcoidosis is usually marked by small spots on the face. Sometimes the stains are purple and larger. Patches may also appear on the extremities, face and buttocks.

Other symptoms include knotty erythema, especially in the legs and often accompanied by arthritis in the ankles, elbows, wrists and hands. Knobby erythema usually disappears, but other skin problems may persist. Virtually any organ or organ system may be involved in sarcoidosis.

Sometimes, sarcoidosis can cause nervous system problems. For example, sarcoid granulomas can occur in the brain, spinal cord, and facial and optic nerves. Facial paralysis and other nerve injury symptoms require rapid treatment with drugs such as high doses of cortisone (see below). Rarely, the heart may be involved in sarcoidosis, which can be a serious problem. People with sarcoidosis may have a depression that is linked to the activity of the disease and is considered partly due to a poorly targeted immune system.

The symptoms may appear suddenly and then disappear. Sometimes, however, they can continue throughout their lives.