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Cozier YC, Arkema EV. Epidemiology of Sarcoidosis. Clin Chest Med 2024; 45:1-13. [PMID: 38245359 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Sarcoidosis is a systemic, granulomatous disease with variable presentation earning it the term "the great mimicker." The current epidemiology confirms that the disease occurs worldwide, affecting both sexes, and all races, ethnicities, and ages. To date, no causal exposure or agent has been identified. The organ systems most frequently affected by sarcoidosis are also those with greatest exposure to the natural world suggesting environmental and lifestyle contributions to the disease. These include particulate matter, microorganisms, nicotine, and obesity. In this article, we review the epidemiology of sarcoidosis and discuss these non-genetic risk factors in the hope of providing important insight into sarcoidosis and stimulating future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette C Cozier
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Talbot 3-East, Boston, MA 02118-2526, USA.
| | - Elizabeth V Arkema
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, T2, Stockholm 17176, Sweden
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Dehara M, Kullberg S, Bixo M, Sachs MC, Grunewald J, Arkema EV. Menopausal hormone therapy and risk of sarcoidosis: a population-based nested case-control study in Sweden. Eur J Epidemiol 2024; 39:313-322. [PMID: 38212490 PMCID: PMC10994872 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-023-01084-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Sarcoidosis incidence peaks in women between 50 and 60 years old, which coincides with menopause, suggesting that certain sex hormones, mainly estrogen, may play a role in disease development. We investigated whether menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) was associated with sarcoidosis risk in women and whether the risk varied by treatment type. We performed a nested case-control study (2007-2020) including incident sarcoidosis cases from the Swedish National Patient Register (n = 2593) and matched (1:10) to general population controls (n = 20,003) on birth year, county, and living in Sweden at the time of sarcoidosis diagnosis. Dispensations of MHT were obtained from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register before sarcoidosis diagnosis/matching. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of sarcoidosis were estimated using conditional logistic regression. Ever MHT use was associated with a 25% higher risk of sarcoidosis compared with never use (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13-1.38). When MHT type and route of administration were considered together, systemic estrogen was associated with the highest risk of sarcoidosis (aOR 1.51, 95% CI 1.23-1.85), followed by local estrogen (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.11-1.42), while systemic estrogen-progestogen combined was associated with the lowest risk compared to never users (aOR 1.12, 95% CI 0.96-1.31). The aOR of sarcoidosis did not differ greatly by duration of MHT use. Our findings suggest that a history of MHT use is associated with increased risk of sarcoidosis, with women receiving estrogen administered systemically having the highest risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Dehara
- Clinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital T2, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Susanna Kullberg
- Respiratory Medicine Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Respiratory Medicine, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Bixo
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Michael C Sachs
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johan Grunewald
- Respiratory Medicine Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Respiratory Medicine, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth V Arkema
- Clinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital T2, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
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Arkema EV, Rossides M, Cozier YC. Sarcoidosis and its relation to other immune-mediated diseases: Epidemiological insights. J Autoimmun 2023:103127. [PMID: 37816661 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Several epidemiological studies show a co-occurrence of sarcoidosis with other immune-mediated diseases (IMD). There are many similarities between sarcoidosis and IMDs in their geographical distribution and risk factors. Understanding these similarities and identifying the differences can help us to better understand sarcoidosis and put it into context with other IMDs. In this review, we present the current knowledge about the overlap between sarcoidosis and other IMDs derived from epidemiological studies. Epidemiologic methods utilize study design and statistical analysis to describe the patterns in data and, ideally, identify causal relationships between an exposure and a health outcome. We discuss how study design and analysis may affect the interpretation of epidemiological studies on this topic and highlight some theories that attempt to explain the relation between sarcoidosis and other IMDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth V Arkema
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Marios Rossides
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yvette C Cozier
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Boston, MA, USA; Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Abstract
Sarcoidosis is characterized by noncaseating granulomas which form in almost any part of the body, primarily in the lungs and/or thoracic lymph nodes. Environmental exposures in genetically susceptible individuals are believed to cause sarcoidosis. There is variation in incidence and prevalence by region and race. Males and females are almost equally affected, although disease peaks at a later age in females than in males. The heterogeneity of presentation and disease course can make diagnosis and treatment challenging. Diagnosis is suggestive in a patient if one or more of the following is present: radiologic signs of sarcoidosis, evidence of systemic involvement, histologically confirmed noncaseating granulomas, sarcoidosis signs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and low probability or exclusion of other causes of granulomatous inflammation. No sensitive or specific biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis exist, but there are several that can be used to support clinical decisions, such as serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels, human leukocyte antigen types, and CD4 Vα2.3+ T cells in BALF. Corticosteroids remain the mainstay of treatment for symptomatic patients with severely affected or declining organ function. Sarcoidosis is associated with a range of adverse long-term outcomes and complications, and with great variation in prognosis between populations. New data and technologies have moved sarcoidosis research forward, increasing our understanding of the disease. However, there is still much left to be discovered. The pervading challenge is how to account for patient variability. Future studies should focus on how to optimize current tools and develop new approaches so that treatment and follow-up can be targeted to individuals with more precision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios Rossides
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Darlington
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Internal Medicine, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susanna Kullberg
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Theme Inflammation and Ageing, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Medicine Solna, Respiratory Medicine Division & Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth V Arkema
- Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Sodhi A, Cox-Flaherty K, Greer MK, Lat TI, Gao Y, Polineni D, Pisani MA, Bourjeily G, Glassberg MK, D'Ambrosio C. Sex and Gender in Lung Diseases and Sleep Disorders: A State-of-the-Art Review: Part 2. Chest 2023; 163:366-382. [PMID: 36183784 PMCID: PMC10083131 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2022.08.2240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
There is now ample evidence that differences in sex and gender contribute to the incidence, susceptibility, presentation, diagnosis, and clinical course of many lung diseases. Some conditions are more prevalent in women, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and sarcoidosis. Some life stages-such as pregnancy-are unique to women and can affect the onset and course of lung disease. Clinical presentation may differ as well, such as the higher number of exacerbations experienced by women with cystic fibrosis (CF), more fatigue in women with sarcoidosis, and more difficulty in achieving smoking cessation. Outcomes such as mortality may be different as well, as indicated by the higher mortality in women with CF. In addition, response to therapy and medication safety may also differ by sex, and yet, pharmacogenomic factors are often not adequately addressed in clinical trials. Various aspects of lung/sleep biology and pathobiology are impacted by female sex and female reproductive transitions. Differential gene expression or organ development can be impacted by these biological differences. Understanding these differences is the first step in moving toward precision medicine for all patients. This article is the second part of a state-of-the-art review of specific effects of sex and gender focused on epidemiology, disease presentation, risk factors, and management of selected lung diseases. We review the more recent literature and focus on guidelines incorporating sex and gender differences in pulmonary hypertension, CF and non-CF bronchiectasis, sarcoidosis, restless legs syndrome and insomnia, and critical illness. We also provide a summary of the effects of pregnancy on lung diseases and discuss the impact of sex and gender on tobacco use and treatment of nicotine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amik Sodhi
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Katherine Cox-Flaherty
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Meredith Kendall Greer
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tasnim I Lat
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX
| | - Yuqing Gao
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Deepika Polineni
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Washington University at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
| | - Margaret A Pisani
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Ghada Bourjeily
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Marilyn K Glassberg
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Carolyn D'Ambrosio
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
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Editorial: The role of ageing in pulmonary disease. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2022; 28:294-295. [PMID: 35749793 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to describe how the clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis may be shaped by the effects of sex hormones and by age dependent changes in immune functions and physiology This review is intended to highlight the need to consider the effects of sex and sex in future studies of sarcoidosis. RECENT FINDINGS The clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis differ based on sex and gender There is emerging evidence that female and male hormones and X-linked genes are important determinants of immune responses to environmental antigens, which has important implications for granuloma formation in the context of sarcoidosis Furthermore, sex hormone levels predictably change throughout adolescence and adulthood, and this occurs in parallel with the onset immune senescence and changes in physiology with advanced age. SUMMARY Recent studies indicate that sex and age are important variables shaping the immune response of humans to environmental antigens We posit herein that sex and age are important determinants of sarcoidosis clinical phenotypes Many gaps in our understanding of the roles played by sex and gender in sarcoidosis, and these need to be considered in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Singha
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Marina Kirkland
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Wonder Drake
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Elliott D Crouser
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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