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Published on: February 18, 2022
Sarcoid heart disease
Simon W Dubrey1, Alex Bell, Tarun K Mittal
1Department of Cardiology, Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK. simon.dubrey@thh.nhs.uk
Insights
Sarcoidosis etiology remains undefined, impacting therapy development. This review covers cardiac sarcoidosis diagnosis and novel imaging techniques for this heart condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Immunology
Background:
- Sarcoidosis etiology is largely unknown, hindering therapeutic advancements.
- Many patients experience spontaneous resolution, despite potential for severe outcomes.
- Cardiac involvement, affecting the conduction system or causing dilated cardiomyopathy, is a significant concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathology and diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis.
- To highlight recent advancements in imaging techniques for diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on sarcoidosis, focusing on cardiac manifestations.
- Discussion of diagnostic criteria and traditional imaging modalities.
- Emphasis on emerging imaging technologies for detecting cardiac involvement.
Main Results:
- Cardiac sarcoidosis presents variedly, often asymptomatic and detected via chest radiography showing lymphadenopathy.
- Conduction system abnormalities and dilated cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure are key cardiac manifestations.
- Newer imaging methods offer improved detection and characterization of cardiac sarcoidosis.
Conclusions:
- Accurate diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis is challenging due to undefined etiology.
- Advancements in cardiac imaging are crucial for early detection and management of heart involvement.
- Further research into sarcoidosis pathogenesis may lead to targeted therapies.
Abstract:
To this day the aetiology of sarcoidosis continues to elude definition. Partially as a consequence of this, little in the way of new therapies has evolved. The enigma of this condition is that, unusually for a disease with the potential for devastating consequences, many patients show spontaneous resolution and recover. Cardiac involvement can affect individuals of any age, gender or race and has a predilection for the conduction system of the heart. Heart involvement can also cause a dilated cardiomyopathy with consequent progressive heart failure. The most common presentation of this systemic disease is with pulmonary infiltration, but many cases will be asymptomatic and are detected on routine chest radiography revealing lymphadenopathy. Current advances lie in the newer methods of imaging and diagnosing this unusual heart disease. This review describes the pathology and diagnosis of this condition and the newer imaging techniques that have developed for determining cardiac involvement.
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