Clinics in chest medicine
-
Studies suggest clinically manifest cardiac involvement occurs in 5% of patients with pulmonary/systemic sarcoidosis. The principal manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) are conduction abnormalities, ventricular arrhythmias, and heart failure. Data indicate that an 20% to 25% of patients with pulmonary/systemic sarcoidosis have asymptomatic (clinically silent) cardiac involvement. ⋯ Most studies suggest a benign prognosis for patients with clinically silent CS. Immunosuppression therapy is advocated for clinically manifest CS. Device therapy, with implantable cardioverter defibrillators, is recommended for some patients.
-
Pulmonary hypertension is a complication of sarcoidosis leading to dyspnea and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension (SAPH) can be due to several factors, including vascular involvement by the granulomatous inflammation, compression of the pulmonary arteries by adenopathy, fibrotic changes within the lung, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. ⋯ A randomized, placebo-controlled trial found 16 weeks' bosentan therapy to be associated with significant improvement in pulmonary artery pressure. Future studies may better define who would respond to treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
-
The skin is the second most common organ affected in sarcoidosis, which can affect patients of all ages and races, with African American women having the highest rates of sarcoidosis in the United States. The cutaneous manifestations are protean and can reflect involvement of sarcoidal granulomas within the lesion or represent reactive non-specific inflammation, as seen with erythema nodosum. Systemic work-up is necessary in any patient with cutaneous involvement of sarcoidal granulomas, and treatment depends on other organ involvement and severity of clinical disease. Skin-directed therapies are first line for mild disease, and immunomodulators or immunosuppressants may be necessary.
-
Sarcoidosis is one of the leading causes of inflammatory eye disease. Ocular sarcoidosis can involve any part of the eye and its adnexal tissues and may cause uveitis, episcleritis/scleritis, eyelid abnormalities, conjunctival granuloma, optic neuropathy, lacrimal gland enlargement, and orbital inflammation. ⋯ Patients with ocular sarcoidosis can present with a wide range of clinical presentations and severity. Multidisciplinary approaches are required to achieve the best treatment outcomes for both ocular and systemic manifestations.
-
Targeted temperature management has an established role in treating the post-cardiac arrest syndrome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with an initial rhythm of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation. There is less certain benefit if the initial rhythm is pulseless electrical activity/asystole or for in-hospital cardiac arrest. Targeted temperature management may have a role as salvage modality for conditions causing intracranial hypertension, such as traumatic brain injury, hepatic encephalopathy, intracerebral hemorrhage, and acute stroke. There is variable evidence for its use early in these disorders to minimize secondary neurologic injury.