Abstract
Background. Advanced sarcoidosis is a recently defined entity which needs to be elaborated in different geographical areas.
Methods. Retrospective analysis of records in a single north Indian centre is done on patients of advanced sarcoidosis.
Results. The disease was more common in females, non smokers, with mean age 55.91 ± 10.64 years and mean BMI of 28.05 ± 4.26 kg/m2. Majority patients were homemakers. Most common comorbidity was hypertension. Dyspnoea and fatigue were present in all. Radiologically, Scadding stage 4 was most common (70.27%). Septal thickening (100%), ground glass opacity (97.3%), traction bronchiectasis (75.68%) and nodules (70.27%) were typically present on HRCT chest. Lymph node station 7 was most frequently involved (97.3%), and cluster involvement of station 4,7,10 was the commonest (32.4%). Most common PET positive parenchymal entity was nodules (40%), followed by GGO (35%). Most common PET positive extra mediastinal lymph node was gastrohepatic (25%), and extra thoracic organ was salivary glands and spleen. Echo revealed pulmonary hypertension in almost half of patients. Diagnostic yield of non caseating granuloma was highest in TBLB (83.33%) followed by EBUS (74.28%). As regards lung function, diffusion capacity was reduced in all patients. Spirometry revealed mixed pattern in 43.24%, obstructive pattern in 21.63% and restrictive pattern in 32.43%.
Conclusions. Indian experience is somewhat different from data on available global experience. More studies from different parts of the country are required.