[Pulmonary sarcoidosis -- clinical and bronchoscopic findings in relation to the radiographic stage]

The classification of pulmonary involvement in sarcoidosis is based upon the radiographic stage of disease. We investigated 170 patients with new detected sarcoidosis (stage I / II / III: 79 / 39 / 52) for differences between the stages in demographic data, lung function values and results of BAL. With a multinomial logistic regression model to estimate probabilities, we found an increased probability for stage I with lower age (p < 0.001), higher IVC and FEV1 (p < 0.001), a less intensive smoking history (p<0.035), in BAL with a lower count of eosinophils (p < 0.014), mast cells (p < 0.004), CD8 lymphocytes (p < 0.015) and a less content of alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.004). For stage III the opposite results apply. With higher cell counts in BAL the probability of stage II increased, of stage III decreased (p < 0.013). The most relevant diagnostic BAL parameter in sarcoidosis, i.e. the count of lymphocytes and CD4 cells, was not different between the radiographic stages.

Between patients with different radiographic stages of sarcoidosis there are differences in demographic data, lung function values and the pattern of alveolitis.