1. Clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis patients in Belgium.
- Author
-
De Ridder J, Ronsmans S, Vanderschueren S, Wuyts W, and Yserbyt J
- Subjects
- Belgium epidemiology, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Sarcoidosis epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Sarcoidosis is a non-caseating granulomatous disease, mostly affecting previously healthy persons in their fourth and fifth decade. In Belgium, there is a paucity of epidemiological data concerning sarcoidosis and it is unknown to what respect national data on sarcoidosis relates to the global epidemiology of the disease., Objectives: In this cohort study we describe the patient population in an academic center of reference, serving both as a regional care center and a center for a tertiary referral., Methods: We collected epidemiological data among 234 consecutive patients consulting the outpatient sarcoidosis clinic during a two-year time period. We manually explored the electronic patient file for data retrieval., Results: Out of the 234 patients, 140 are male (60%) and 94 are female (40%) patients. Forced vital capacity showed a median decline of 2% during follow-up, whereas median diffusion capacity increased with 4% over the same period of time. Within our study cohort, we observed a preponderance in employment as construction workers (14%), the chemical industry (6%) and in the metal processing industry (6%)., Conclusion: The current study reports on epidemiological findings among the largest cohort of sarcoidosis patients in Belgium published to date., Graphical abstract [Figure: see text].
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF