Sarcoidosis of the pleura – A case report

  • Dragana Jovanović Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Violeta Vučinić Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Ruža Stević Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Center for Radiology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Marina Roksandić-Milenković Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Natalija Samardžić Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Marta Velinović Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
  • Mihailo Stjepanović Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
Keywords: sarcoidosis, pleural effusion, biopsy, therapeutics,

Abstract


Introduction. Pleural involvement is an uncommon manifestation of sarcoidosis. It may manifest as pleural effusion, pneumothorax, pleural thickening and nodules, hydropneumothorax, trapped lung, hemothorax, or chylothorax. The incidence of pleural effusion with sarcoidosis ranges from 0% to 5% but has been reported to be as high as 7.5%. Pleural effusions complicate sarcoidosis in < 3% of patients. Case report. We reported a 64-year-old male patient with chronic multiorgan sarcoidosis. This patient developed pleural sarcoidosis with massive pleural effusion several years after the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. A definitive diagnosis of a sarcoid pleural effusion was based on a biopsy demonstrating noncaseating granuloma. The patient responded well to the treatment (methotrexate and methylprednisolone) with a complete withdrawal of pleural effusion following five weeks of the treatment beginning. Conclusion. The presented patient is a rare case of pleural involvement of sarcoidosis with massive effusion, who responded well to the treatment.

 

Author Biographies

Dragana Jovanović, Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Jovanovic je 1 autor
Violeta Vučinić, Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Vučinić je 2 autor
Ruža Stević, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Center for Radiology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Stević je 3 autor
Marina Roksandić-Milenković, Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Roksandić je 4 autor
Natalija Samardžić, Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Samardžić je 5 autor
Marta Velinović, Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Velinović je 6 autor
Mihailo Stjepanović, Clinic for Lung Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
Sistem neće strelicama da napravi adekvatan raspored autora Dr Stjepanović je 7 autor

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Published
2015/04/23
Section
Case report