[Sarcoidosis in Dakar: 30 case reports]

Sarcoidosis cases had been rarely reported in Senegal in spite of the high frequency of sarcoidosis in black people. The purpose of this work was to determine the epidemiological, clinical and evaluative profile of sarcoidosis in Dakar.

We performed a multicentric retrospective trial in order to characterise sarcoidosis cases in Senegal from 1968 to 2004.

Twenty cases (21 females and 9 men) were observed. The average age was 40 years. Duration before first medical attention was up to one year in 20 cases. Ten patients received an anti tuberculosis treatment before sarcoidosis diagnosis. Sarcoidosis was a systemic disease in 76% of cases and only cutaneous in 24%. Cutaneous lesions were found in 66,66% of cases. Presenting features were cutaneous (46%), general (30%), rheumatoid, (16,6%), Lofgren syndrome (3 cases). The cutaneous lesions were specific in 94% of cases as small nodules (50%), placards (20%), great nodules (15%) and scars sarcoidosis (10%). Extra cutaneous involvement were pulmonary (73,33%), lymphadenopathy (66,66%), and rheumatoid (20%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was associated in 4 cases.

Our data confirmed rarity of sarcoidosis in Senegal opposite to the high reported frequency in other black population in developed country. Clinical features were polymorph and the systemic forms predominant. Tuberculosis may be rule out in order to avoid miss diagnosis.