Clinical Observation of Sarcoidosis / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a systemic noncaseating granulomatous disorder of unknown origin, which can involve any organs including the skin. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis in patients in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. METHODS: A total of 62 patients with sarcoidosis, where sarcoidosis was confirmed by histopathologic examinations at seven university hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do from 2000 to 2006, were enrolled in this study. The clinical characteristics were analyzed by a thorough review of medical records, histopathologic and radiologic examinations. RESULTS: Man to woman ratio was 1 1.48 and 42% of the patients were in their fifth decade. The most frequent chief complaints were cutaneous symptoms (37%), followed by respiratory symptoms (31%). The most frequently involved organs were intrathoracic organs (84%), followed by the skin (37%), peripheral lymph nodes (13%), bones (11%), spleen (8%) and eyes (5%). The most common cutaneous lesion was subcutaneous nodule (74%), followed by papule (13%). Extremities (65%) were the most frequent sites of cutaneous lesions. Systemic organ involvements were observed in 70% of patients with cutaneous sarcoidosis. Among them, the most frequently involved organs were intrathoracic organs (81%), followed by bones (25%), eyes (19%), and peripheral lymph nodes (19%). CONCLUSION: The results were generally similar with the previous domestic reports. Compared with the foreign reports, cutaneous involvement was more frequent and ophthalmic involvement was less frequent. Subcutaneous nodule was the most frequent cutaneous lesion which seems to be a unique feature of this study.