Sarcoidosis and Smoking: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease with an unknown etiology. The role of smoking in the development of sarcoidosis remains unclear. We study the association of smoking with sarcoidosis. Methods: Articles reporting the association between smoking and sarcoidosis till June 01, 2023, were retrieved from PubMed and Cochrane Database. A random effect model was used to perform meta-analysis. Results: After screening 192 records, we included seven studies. The total sample size was 1642 cases of sarcoidosis and 4207 controls. The pooled odds ratio was 0.55 (95% confidence interval 0.38–0.79), implying a negative association between sarcoidosis and smoking. Conclusion: There is a decreased risk of sarcoidosis among smokers compared to nonsmokers. Further research is required to ascertain the association between smoking and sarcoidosis.