Re: End Stage Pulm Fibrosis

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for the articles Tracie, Connie

Subject: End Stage Pulm FibrosisTo: neurosarcoidosis Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 10:02 PM

Here's an article on PF with sarc.

"End-stage" pulmonary fibrosis in sarcoidosis.

Mt Sinai J Med. 2009; 76(1):30-6 (ISSN: 1931-7581)

Teirstein AT; Morgenthau ASMount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. alvin.teirstein@...

Pulmonary fibrosis is an unusual "end stage" in patients with sarcoidosis. Fibrosis occurs in a minority of patients, and presents with a unique physiologic combination of airways dysfunction (obstruction) superimposed on the more common restrictive dysfunction. Imagin techniques are essential to the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Standard chest radiographs and CT scans may reveal streaks, bullae, cephalad retraction of the hilar areas, deviation of the trachea and tented diaphragm. Positive gallium and PET scans indicate residual reversible granulomatous disease and are important guides to therapy decisions. Treatment, usually with corticosteroids, is effective in those patients with positive scans, but fibrosis does not improve with any treatment. With severe functional impariment and patient disability, pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure may supervene for which the patient will require treatment. Oxygen,

careful diuresis, sildenafil and bosentan may be salutary. These patients are candidates for lung transplantation.

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PreMedline Identifier: 19170216