Cutaneous sarcoidosis: clinical profile of 23 Indian patients

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of undetermined etiology. Indian studies on cutaneous sarcoidosis are not many and mainly comprise case reports.

This retrospective study was carried out to assess the clinical profile of sarcoidosis patients presenting with cutaneous lesions.

All histopathologically proven cases of cutaneous sarcoidosis seen consecutively between 1999 and 2004 were studied. Their age, sex, presenting features, evolution of disease and laboratory parameters were analyzed.

A total of 23 patients (F:M 15:8) between 31 to 78 years (mean 44.3 years) of age had the mean duration of skin lesions of 1.4 years. Six patients had one to four lesions; two patients each had scar sarcoidosis and angiolupoid and one patient each had recurrent erythema nodosum, leg lymphedema and subcutaneous sarcoidosis. Others showed combination of papules, nodules, plaques and psoriasiform lesions. Peripheral lymph nodes were involved in two patients. Among 10 patients of pulmonary involvement, three had become symptomatic four months to four years after the cutaneous lesions. Routine laboratory investigations including serum calcium estimation were normal in all cases. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels were raised in 3 out of 6 patients. Asymptomatic lytic lesions of digital bones were detected in hand X-ray of one patient.

Skin lesions of sarcoidosis are like the tip of an iceberg indicating more changes in other organs. The symptomatology and abnormal laboratory results do not necessarily correlate with the severity of cutaneous involvement in general.