[Influence of corticosteroid-therapy on the course of sarcoidosis (author's transl)]

The examinations relate to 206 patients suffering from a bioptically confirmed sarcoidosis, observed during 1959-1974. The observation period amounted to 2-15 years. The indications of the corticosteroid-therapy ran as follows: 1. in cases of a lymph node sarcoidosis without respiratory disorders, after a 2 years' observation without a regression. 2. in cases with pulmonary alterations already after 3-6 months without a regression. 3. in all cases of an extended pulmonary sarcoidosis. In the first group the sarcoidosis developed spontaneously in 65.2%, after a treatment in 15.7%. In 19.1% there was an unfavourable course, even in treated cases (2.2%). In the second group there was a spontaneous regression in 35.5%, after a treatment in 57%. In 10% the sarcoidosis changed over into the chronic form. The treatment failed in about 3%. In the third group we did not observe any spontaneous regression, after the corticosteroid-therapy a regression appeared in 35.7%. The condition remained unchanged in 64.3%. Totally there was a spontaneous regressions in 44.2% of the patients. Good results after the corticosteroid-therapy were attained in 36.4%, and the rest of about 20% developed to irreversible forms of the disease.