A retrospective analysis of 34 patients with cutaneous sarcoidosis assessed in a dermatology department.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology, which most often involves the lungs and lymphatic system. Cutaneous involvement is found in approximately 25% of cases of sarcoid. Most previous studies of cutaneous sarcoidosis have been drawn from populations with defined pulmonary disease, so may represent a population with more systemic involvement.

OBJECTIVE: We describe a cohort of patients with cutaneous sarcoid seen in a dermatology department.

METHODS: Case records were reviewed for patients with a histopathological diagnosis of noncaseating sarcoidal granuloma on skin biopsy, taken between 1996 and 2005.

RESULTS: In total, 34 patient records were analysed; 21 patients were found to have extracutaneous systemic sarcoid and 10 patients had sarcoid localized to the skin. Patients with lupus pernio and with ulcerated sarcoid lesions all had extracutaneous disease. No other cutaneous features, including the extent of cutaneous disease, were found to be predictive of systemic involvement.

CONCLUSIONS: All patients presenting to a dermatology department with cutaneous sarcoidal granulomas require investigation for systemic sarcoid. Our data suggest that approximately 30% of patients seen in a dermatology clinic with cutaneous sarcoidal granulomas will have disease apparently limited to the skin.