What is Sarcoidsis?

The loss of actor/comedian Bernie Mac has stunned and saddened many over the last few days. The south Chicago native's blunt comedic delivery was refreshing for many and offensive to others, but Mac gave no apologies for being true to himself in regard to his work. Unbeknownst to many for quite some time Bernie Mac dealt with sarcoidsis. Although there are conflicting reports as to whether the sarcoidsis contributed to Mac's death. Many people are not aware of what sarcoidsis is or its symptoms.

Sarcoidsis is an inflammatory disease that clumps cells together in various parts of the body. The illness most commonly affects the lungs, lymph nodes, and skin. Health professionals aren't sure what causes sarcoidsis but it is believed to an immune system response. The body attacks healthy cells causing them to form lumps within various organs making it difficult for them to function and susceptible infection.

Symptoms of sarcoidsis include persistent coughing, fever, weight loss, and arthritis in the ankles and hands. People with these symptoms for several weeks should see a doctor as soon as possible. If left untreated the clumps of cells formed by sarcoidsis can make it difficult to breathe or difficult for other organs it affects to function correctly.

Different types of medical testing are used to diagnose sarcoidsis including physical exams, chest x-rays, lung function tests, and blood tests. Sarcoidsis is diagnosed in 5 different stages. Each stage indicates the extent of damage sarcoidsis has done to the lungs. Beginning with stage zero and ending with stage four, the stages start with patients having other symptoms but a normal chest x-ray. Stage one tells of large lymph nodes only the patient's lungs still appear normal. Stage two means the patient not only has enlarged lymph nodes but some damaged lung tissue. Stage three means the lymph nodes are in a normal state but sarcoidsis has affected the lungs. Sarcoidsis in stage four has scarred the lungs. People with sarcoidsis must frequently follow up with their doctor(s) regardless of the stage of their disease as untreated sarcoidsis can lead to organ damage at any stage.

Occasionally, sarcoidsis subsides on its own but doctors monitor the illness closely and watch for inflammation. Sarcoidsis is often treated with steroids and immune suppressant drugs which carry the risk of making the patient very vulnerable to infection. In most cases, sarcoidsis resolves with no lasting affects of any kind. Even though it is not known for sure whether sarcoidsis contributed to the loss of Bernie Mac, perhaps his disclosing his illness before his death will help other people with this disease.