Sarcoidosis changes everything in life, including relationships. Since being diagnosed, I find that people in my life fall into several categories. First are those who know about my condition and have a healthy, satisfying relationship with me despite it. They include a precious few who occupy a special space…

People with hepatitis C who develop sarcoidosis may be safely treated with adalimumab, marketed by Abbvie as Humira, a case report suggests. The case was described in a study, “Sarcoidosis with concomitant hepatitis C infection treated successfully with adalimumab,” which was published in the Journal…

I had not heard of an infrared sauna before a practitioner told me about the device. Early in the process of diagnosing my sarcoidosis, it was suggested as a way to help manage joint pain. Luckily, my primary care physician (PCP) has an infrared sauna in his office. For…

An educational conference for people with sarcoidosis and those close to them will be held at the University of Cincinnati this Saturday, featuring doctors with expertise in this disease, presentations, and a question-and-answer session. The Aug. 24 event at the Ohio university’s Kresge Auditorium runs from 10:00 a.m. to…

In all things, give thanks. I heard this saying regularly while growing up. My mother told my brother and me that we should be thankful for every life experience. I’m not sure if we were supposed to be grateful for overcoming our obstacles or expected to…

A new statistical analysis of Finland’s nationwide cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) registry found that sudden cardiac death plays a significant role in the outcome of CS patients, affirming the importance of risk assessment in this patient population. The study, “Sudden death in…

Using Jakafi (ruxolitinib) to treat a woman with polycythemia vera (PV; a blood cancer) led to complete resolution of her cutaneous sarcoidosis, and to mild reduction of her lung nodules, according to a case report. The findings suggest a new therapeutic strategy, especially for patients with cutaneous sarcoidosis,…

I have an extreme aversion to needles. When I was much younger and needed to have blood drawn, I would pass out during the process. This happened every time, without fail, regardless of how we tried to prevent it. When my primary care physician, who is also a pulmonologist in…

A new report describes a woman with a very rare case of sarcoidosis involving only the spine who entered full remission after surgical removal of the lesion followed by treatment with corticosteroids. Based on this case report, researchers advised that cases of spinal sarcoidosis should be managed by…

According to a new study comparing older and younger sarcoidosis patients, elderly people with sarcoidosis tend to have more severe disease and worse clinical outcomes. The study, “Elderly sarcoidosis: A comparative study from a 42-year single-centre experience,” was published in the journal Respiratory Medicine.  Sarcoidosis usually presents…