Prognostic value of skin lesions in sarcoidosis: clinical and histopathological clues.

BACKGROUND: Although tremendous advances have been made, a significant gap exists between the vast knowledge accumulated concerning sarcoidosis in recent years and our understanding of this disease. OBJECTIVE: Describe the main clinical and histopathological findings associated with cutaneous sarcoidosis and to investigate the relationship of these skin lesions with systemic involvement. METHODS: A retrospective review of 41 patients who were diagnosed with cutaneous sarcoidosis was done. RESULTS: The study included 34 females and 7 males. Systemic disease occurred frequently in patients with lupus pernio and nodulo-plaque type lesions. Systemic symptoms were observed more commonly in patients with raised serum ACE levels (84.6% vs. 40%; p<0.05). Our study also indicated that patients with skin lesions that were associated with systemic symptoms had a more chronic form of the disease than patients with only cutaneous lesions (91.6% vs. 29.4%; p<0.001). Additionally, complete resolution of cutaneous lesions was observed more frequently in patients with no associated systemic symptoms (66.6% vs. 23.5%; p<0.05). Interestingly, we found that patients with a moderate/severe granulomatous infiltrate in their biopsies had a more severe clinical presentation during the course of the disease, with a more generalized skin involvement (65.6% vs. 30%) as well as a more chronic course of the disease (56.3% vs. 30%). Another interesting histopathological finding observed was the presence of a grenz zone in 20 cases (47.6%). CONCLUSION: A correct and methodical clinicopathological correlation is important for our clinical practice because it can give us useful clues to the diagnosis and prognosis of this disease.