Sarcoidosis and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: An Intriguing Relationship
Ubaldo Ciccarelli1, Paolo Ghelardini1, Maria Chiara Pisciella1
1Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.
The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Patients with sarcoidosis often experience fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness due to a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Screening for OSA and treatments like CPAP can improve quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Sleep Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease with unknown cause, frequently impacting lungs.
- Fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) are common, disabling symptoms in sarcoidosis patients, persisting even with stable disease.
- Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as prevalent in sarcoidosis, linked by inflammation, corticosteroid therapy, and airway involvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the complex association between sarcoidosis and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
- To understand the contributing mechanisms linking sarcoidosis and OSA.
- To highlight the importance of OSA screening and treatment in sarcoidosis patients with sleep-related symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing clinical studies and evidence.
- Analysis of shared inflammatory pathways and treatment side effects.
- Assessment of upper airway involvement and pulmonary function in sarcoidosis patients.
Main Results:
- Sarcoidosis patients exhibit a higher prevalence of OSA than the general population, including non-obese and treatment-naïve individuals.
- Mechanisms include shared inflammation, corticosteroid-induced weight gain/myopathy, upper airway sarcoidosis (SURT), and restrictive lung disease.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy improves fatigue, EDS, and quality of life in these patients.
Conclusions:
- OSA is a significant contributor to fatigue and EDS in sarcoidosis.
- Systematic OSA screening is crucial for sarcoidosis patients with persistent sleep symptoms.
- Further research is needed on OSA treatment impact and adjunctive therapies like solriamfetol and pitolisant.
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