Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Feb;91(2):183-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.10.024. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

Epidemiology of Sarcoidosis 1946-2013: A Population-Based Study

Patompong Ungprasert  1 , Eva M Carmona  2 , James P Utz  2 , Jay H Ryu  2 , Cynthia S Crowson  3 , Eric L Matteson  4
Affiliations

Epidemiology of Sarcoidosis 1946-2013: A Population-Based Study

Patompong Ungprasert et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the epidemiology of sarcoidosis from 1946 through 2013.

Patients and methods: An inception cohort of patients with incident sarcoidosis from January 1, 1976, through December 31, 2013, in Olmsted County, Minnesota, was identified based on comprehensive individual medical record review. Inclusion required physician diagnosis supported by histopathologic confirmation, radiologic features of intrathoracic sarcoidosis, and a compatible clinical presentation. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory investigations, and mortality. The data were augmented with a previously identified cohort of Olmsted County residents diagnosed as having sarcoidosis in 1946-1975. Incidence rates were age and sex adjusted to the 2010 US white population.

Results: A total of 448 incident cases of sarcoidosis were identified (mean age, 44.2 years; 52% women). The annual incidence of sarcoidosis was 10.0 per 100,000 population. The incidence of sarcoidosis increased in women from 1950 to 1960, but otherwise there were no significant calendar year trends. However, the peak age at incidence for women shifted from 40 to 59 years in 1950 to 50 to 69 years in 2010. Similarly, the peak age at incidence for men shifted from 30 to 49 years in 1950 to 40 to 59 years in 2010. Ninety-seven percent of patients had intrathoracic involvement, but only 43% had respiratory symptoms. The overall mortality of patients with sarcoidosis was not different from that of the general population (standardized mortality ratio=0.90; 95% CI, 0.74-1.08).

Conclusion: Sarcoidosis occurred in approximately 10 persons per 100,000 per year. Most of the patients had intrathoracic involvement, although less than half had respiratory symptoms. Overall mortality was not different from that of the general population.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: All authors have disclosed no conflict of interest

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Incidence of sarcoidosis among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota in 1946–2013 age-adjusted to the 2010 US white population according to sex (males= solid line, females=dashed line)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Trends in incidence of sarcoidosis among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota in 1946–2013 for females (panel A) and males (panel B) according to age groups
Figure 3
Figure 3
Trends in age at diagnosis of sarcoidosis among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota in 1946–2013 by sex: females (open circles and dashed lines) and males (black squares and solid line)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Epidemiology of Sarcoidosis.
    Reich JM. Reich JM. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016 Jun;91(6):822-3. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.04.012. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016. PMID: 27261872 No abstract available.
  • In Reply-Epidemiology of Sarcoidosis.
    Ungprasert P, Carmona EM, Utz JP, Ryu JH, Crowson CS, Matteson EL. Ungprasert P, et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016 Jun;91(6):823. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.04.015. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016. PMID: 27261873 No abstract available.

References

    1. Thomas KW, Hunninghake GW. Sarcoidosis. JAMA. 2003;289(24):3300–3303. - PubMed
    1. Henke CE, Henke G, Elveback LR, Beard CM, Ballard DJ, Kurland LT. The epidemiology of sarcoidosis in Rochester Minnesota: A population-based study of incidence and survival. Am J Epidemiol. 1986;123(5):840–845. - PubMed
    1. Rybicki BA, Major M, Popovich J, Jr, Maliarik MJ, Iannuzzi MC. Racial differences in sarcoidosis incidence: A 5-year study in a health maintenance organization. Am J Epidemiol. 1997;145(3):234–241. - PubMed
    1. Cozier YC, Berman JS, Palmer JR, Boggs DA, Serlin DM, Rosenberg L. Sarcoidosis in black women in the United States: Data from the black women’s health study. Chest. 2011;139(1):144–150. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Gideon NM, Mannino DM. A sarcoidosis mortality in the United States, 1979–1991: An analysis of multiple-cause mortality data. Am J Med. 1996;100(4):423–427. - PubMed

Publication types