How much are we aware of the increase in accompanying comorbidities in sarcoidosis?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem chronic disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation.It is reported that the frequency of other inflammatory and malignant diseases increases. The primaryobjective of the study is to determine the types of comorbid diseases and their frequency, and whetherthe risk of malignancies and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid increases.The secondary objective is to identify the factors related to the comorbidities frequently detected.METHODS: The files of 694 patients who had the diagnosis of sarcoidosis between1998‑2016 wereevaluated. The frequency of comorbid diseases recorded was compared to the data of our country.RESULTS: Among the patients, 487 (70%) were female, and the mean age at diagnosis was42.9 ± 11.8 (18-87). In 490 patients (70%) at least one comorbidity was detected. The most frequentlydetected comorbidities were systemic hypertension (22%), hepatosteatosis (16.9%), diabetes mellitus(16.4%), thyroid diseases (13.1%), and asthma (12%). Malignancy was found in a ratio of 4.0%,rheumatoid arthritis in 2.2%. The comparison to the frequencies across the country showed that theprevalence of diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases, asthma, malignancy, and rheumatoid arthritis washigher. Diabetes, thyroid diseases, asthma were more frequent in women. The mean age of patientsin which diabetes, thyroid diseases, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis or malignancy was detected as acomorbidity was higher than those without comorbidities.CONCLUSION: Comorbidities frequently occur among sarcoidosis patients, and the frequency ofdiabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases, asthma, malignancy, and rheumatoid arthritis is higher than thedata of the country.