Sarcoidosis. Disease progression based on radiological and functional course: Predictive factors

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Immunology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Sarcoidosis is a complex multisystem granulomatous disease with unpredictable clinical trajectories.
• Understanding factors influencing sarcoidosis progression is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of disease progression in sarcoidosis patients.
• To determine which patient characteristics are associated with worsening sarcoidosis outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 277 adult sarcoidosis patients.
• Assessment of pulmonary function (FVC, DLCO) and radiological staging (Scadding criteria) at diagnosis and over 5 years.
• Definition of disease progression based on significant decline in pulmonary function or radiological worsening.

Main Results:

• Disease progression occurred in 34.5% of patients by 3 years.
• Age at diagnosis was significantly associated with disease progression (OR=1.04 per year).
• Pulmonary function showed mixed changes: FVC improved, while DLCO declined significantly by 3 years.

Conclusions:

• Approximately one-third of sarcoidosis patients experience disease progression within 3 years.
• Patient age at diagnosis is the sole identified predictor of sarcoidosis prognosis in this cohort.