Sarcoidosis in Arabs: the clinical profile of 20 patients and review of the literature

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is being increasingly recognised in Kuwait. Twenty patients were studied over three years and the clinical, biochemical and radiological data were analysed. The clinical profile revealed thoracic involvement in all the patients as well as constitutional symptoms (50%), arthralgia (55%), arthritis (15%), chest infection (35%), tuberculosis (10%), hypercalcaemia (5%), angina (15%) and hypertension (20%). None had central nervous system manifestations. Other clinical signs were erythema nodosum (25%), hepatomegaly (30%) splenomegaly (15%) and chest signs (25%), together with salivary gland (15%), skin (15%), eye (15%), and cardiac involvement (5%). The tuberculin test was negative in all those tested. The patients were classified radiologically into stage I (55%), stage II (40%) and stage III (5%) of the disease. The clinical profile was similar to the Western pattern of the disease, but there were several differences including an older age group, more frequent constitutional symptoms, the rarity of ocular and central nervous system involvement, and initial presentation as a chest infection. Therapy with steroids alone or steroids and azathioprine was used when appropriate and the response to therapy monitored.