ABSTRACT

Patients with sarcoidosis may present with cutaneous lesions or other systemic involvement, particularly pulmonary. In this study, we investigated our hypothesis that the clinical course of sarcoidosis patients who present with skin involvement be different.

Fifty-two sarcoidosis patients who applied to our rheumatology outpatient clinic were included in the study. Data on demographics, smoking status, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) level at the time of diagnosis, other organ involvement and lung involvement stages were collected. We then compared the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with and without skin involvement and patients with skin involvement at first presentation, and others separately.

While the initial involvement was lung involvement in 28 (53.5%) patients, 19 (36.5%) patients applied to the clinic with skin involvement as a presenting feature. In 23 (44.2%) patients, skin involvement was present at any time during the disease. In our study, the most common skin involvement was erythema nodosum observed in 9 patients (17.3%). Demographic and clinical findings of patients presenting with skin findings did not differ significantly from other patients. High ACE levels were more common in patients without skin involvement than in patients with skin involvement.

Even if the clinical course does not differ in sarcoidosis patients presenting with cutaneous involvement, it is important to recognize the cutaneous manifestations of sarcoidosis. We would like to emphasize that detailed physical examination is important, as easily overlooked, small and asymptomatic lesions are the most appropriate site for histopathological diagnosis of sarcoidosis.