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Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease that can develop in any part of the body. When the disease occurs in the lungs, it is called pulmonary sarcoidosis. What is pulmonary sarcoidosis? Inflammation, caused by specialized cells, is a targeted response the immune system uses to defend the body against…
The American Thoracic Society has published its first official guidelines for how best to detect and diagnosis sarcoidosis in clinical practice. The guidelines were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, in an article titled “Diagnosis and Detection of Sarcoidosis. An Official American…
It was my initial desire to explain my sarcoidosis diagnosis to the people around me. Whether they were individuals I have known for years or those I had recently met, I wanted to be honest and open. But one day I stopped doing that. It’s not that I don’t…
The last few weeks have been an excellent reminder of just how important and vital community can be, especially when you have a rare disease. Last weekend, the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) hosted its Global Virtual Patient Summit. FSR does a great job of bringing the sarcoidosis…
Sarcoidosis is a condition in which small clumps of immune cells called granulomas appear in several organs as a result of chronic inflammation. Sarcoidosis patients are regularly monitored by their physicians, and the disease goes away on its own without medication in many cases. However, people with ongoing…
Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle identified numerous gene pathways that are altered in sarcoidosis, not only confirming the involvement of the innate immune system, but also demonstrating that systems for protein breakdown are activated in the disease. The study, “Sarcoidosis activates diverse transcriptional…
Intermediate monocytes, a type of immune cell, may contribute to the development and progression of sarcoidosis through the production of TARC — a molecule that attracts other specific immune cells linked to inflammation, according to a small study. These findings point to intermediate monocytes and TARC as potential treatment targets…
Sarcoidosis is a disease that can injure the lungs and eyes or other organs, and cause sensitive rashes. No one knows what ultimately triggers sarcoidosis, but the disease is characterized by an unusually active immune system. Clusters of immune cells, known as granulomas, can invade…
Recently, I read a social media post about how tough every day can be while living with sarcoidosis. Out of respect for the author’s privacy, I won’t quote them, but the general idea was that they do certain things to appear “normal.” Oftentimes, that includes telling friends and family…