Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease with predominant manifestation in the lungs, however other organs can be involved, including heart, what is potentially life-threatening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis patients diagnosed or followed up in 1st and 3rd Lung Diseases Departments of National TB & Lung Diseases Research Institute in Warsaw. Method: Retrospective analysis of database discharged patients with the final diagnosis of sarcoidosis (D86). The analysis covered the period from January 2008 to October 2010. Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis was verified according to Modified Guidelines for Diagnosis of Cardiac Sarcoidosis based on the Study Report on Diffuse Pulmonary Diseases: From the Japan Ministry of Health and Welfare, 1993 (9) and modifications 2006. Results: 933 sarcoidosis patients were seen in two departments in the almost 3 years period. Multiorgan sarcoidosis (D86.8) was detected in 102 cases (10.9%). The cardiac involvement was found only in 30 patients of this group, which was 3.2% of the entire group. There were 19 males (63%) and 11 females (37%), 5 cases in stage I, 25 in stage II. The mean age was 45.5±12.6 years (range: 28 - 74). The time from the first diagnosis of sarcoidosis to detection of heart involvement was 10 months (median, CI 90% range 0 to 6.4 years). Conclusion: Cardiac sarcoidosis in our own material was diagnosed in the similar percentage as in previously published data. According to post mortem diagnosis data from literature diagnosis of this form of the disease still remains a significant clinical problem.
Martusewicz-Boros et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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