Causes And Risk Factors For Sarcoidosis

In many ways, sarcoidosis is a mysterious disease, as researchers have not yet pinpointed the exact cause. Some research studies have helped to develop theories about potential causes, but no conclusive proof has been found. However, researchers have narrowed down risk factors for sarcoidosis. Individuals who fall into the 'risk factor' group have a higher chance of developing the disease than those who do not. Sarcoidosis occurs when groups of inflammatory cells, called granulomas, form throughout multiple organs, causing the organs to become inflamed. In some cases, sarcoidosis might be caused when a person's immune system responds to foreign substances. These substances might include chemicals, bacteria, and viruses. Continue reading for more on risk factors and causes of sarcoidosis.

Gender

Sarcoidosis affects individuals all over the world. Anyone has the potential to develop it, regardless of their physical characteristics. However, some groups are at a higher risk than others.

Women have a slightly higher chance of developing sarcoidosis than men, meaning more women have historically received a sarcoidosis diagnosis than men. Because the actual cause of sarcoidosis is not known, it's difficult to tell whether the gender discrepancy is a coincidence or a part of the illness. For example, it is possible sarcoidosis affects both men and women equally, but for social reasons, women are more likely to seek treatment. Alternatively, it's possible there is a difference between the physiology of men and women that allows the disease to be more easily triggered in women.

Continue reading to learn about ethnicity as a factor for this condition.

Ethnicity

Throughout the United States, African Americans and individuals of Scandinavian descent tend to be the most heavily affected. Europeans outside Scandinavia also have an increased chance of developing the illness. Not only does race play a part in the prevalence of the disease manifesting, but it can also affect the severity.

Almost everyone with sarcoidosis will have their lymph nodes and lungs affected. However, eye involvement is more common in African Americans and Japanese individuals than in Europeans, and skin lumps rarely form in any patient not of Northern European descent. Finally, individuals of Japanese descent have a higher rate of heart problems related to sarcoidosis. African Americans are the most affected group in the United States. The risk of developing sarcoidosis at some point over the course of an African American individual's life is up to two percent.

Continue reading to learn about how family history may affect sarcoidosis.

Family History

Research is currently being done on the way family history affects the risk of developing sarcoidosis. Multiple studies have indicated individuals are at an increased risk of sarcoidosis if they have close family members with the disease. However, the reason for this correlation is still unknown.

Hereditary illnesses are passed from parent to child through the genes. Many research studies are currently being done regarding genes and sarcoidosis. If sarcoidosis has a genetic link, researchers hope to isolate the gene or genes that cause the increased risk factors.

Continue reading to learn about how age plays into this condition.

Age

Sarcoidosis has the potential to affect anyone, regardless of their age. With that said, the disease most commonly develops in people between the ages of twenty and forty, though the exact reason for this is unknown. Many of the unanswered questions about sarcoidosis can be frustrating, but researchers are tirelessly conducting studies in an attempt to answer them.

It's common for sarcoidosis symptoms to mimic a significant number of other diseases, resulting in individuals often receive a misdiagnosis and being mistreated. For this reason, it's estimated the actual number of sarcoidosis cases is much higher than the number of official diagnoses.

Continue reading to discover potential triggers.

Potential Triggers

Research indicates external environmental factors are potential triggers for sarcoidosis. A healthy body is meant to flush out and fight intruding material like chemicals, dust, viruses, and bacteria. However, in individuals with sarcoidosis, the immune system severely overreacts. Immune cells begin to clump together, forming an inflammation pattern referred to as a granuloma. Granulomas then build up in organs throughout the body, affecting the function of the organ. Sometimes, this can cause severe impairment.

In the majority of individuals, sarcoidosis will alleviate by itself and have no lasting consequences. Half of all cases resolve without even needing treatment, but there are potential long-term consequences to the disease. Pulmonary sarcoidosis might cause permanent scarring in the lungs, and eye inflammation can lead to blindness or vision loss. If sarcoidosis affects the body's ability to handle calcium, it is possible to go into kidney failure. Granulomas located in the heart can cause cardiovascular issues, and in very rare cases, granulomas in the brain can impair the central nervous system.