prognosis

Last reviewed 01/2018

Patients with sarcoidosis generally have a good prognosis (1).

Some information concerning the prognosis in sarcoidosis is given below:

  • spontaneous remission is seen in
    • 55–90% of patients with stage I radiological disease
    • 40–70% with stage II disease
    • 10–20% with stage III disease
    • 0% in stage IV disease (2).
  • In majority of patients remission occurs within the first 6 months (2)
  • the disease wax and wane  (can be spontaneous or after treatment)
  • adverse  prognosis is seen in patients with
    • those aged 40 or more at onset
    • black patients
    • lupus pernio
    • chronic uveitis
    • chronic hepercalcaemia
    • nephrocalcinosis
    • progressive pulmonary sarcoidosis
    • cystic bone lesions
    • neurosarcoidosis
    • myocardial involvement (1,2)
  • HLA-B13 and HLA-D27 appear to be markers of more chronic disease
  • overall mortality in sarcoidosis is estimated to be around 1–5% , majority are due to pulmonary, myocardial or CNS involvement (3)
  • as many as 10% will become disabled by pulmonary fibrosis

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