Sarcoidosis in southern Taiwan

To investigate the disease characteristics of sarcoidosis in southern Taiwan, and to investigate diagnostic methods.We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, from March 1988 to February 2002.A total of 12 patients (3 men, 9 women), with a mean age of 44.5 years, and a diagnosis of sarcoidosis by positive histology and either a typical chest roentgenogram or clinical presentation were included. All 12 patients had intrathoracic involvement (hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes, 12; lungs, 5), eight had skin involvement, and two had extrathoracic lymph node involvement. The most frequent biopsy specimens were from the skin (n = 10), followed by the intrathoracic lymph nodes (n = 4), lungs (n = 2), and extrathoracic lymph nodes (n = 2). Four patients had positive biopsies from two organs. Our data showed an older age distribution and a greater female predominance of the disease compared with Western countries. A higher rate of intrathoracic and skin involvement was also found, but the reason for this was not clear.Greater awareness of possible skin involvement may enable chest physicians and clinical practitioners to suspect this condition earlier. A histologic diagnosis from skin biopsy should then be made, rather than using more invasive procedures.