Pleural Involvement in Sarcoidosis

Chnically significant pleural manifestations (e.g., pneumothorax, pleural effusions, chylothorax) occur in 2% to 4% of patients with sarcoidosis (28,131,132). Pleural thickening may be observed on CT scans in 9% to 11% of patients with sarcoidosis, but is usually asymptomatic (28). The incidence is higher in patients with chronic fibrocystic sarcoidosis, particularly with stage IV disease (133). Sarcoid pleural effusions may be transudative or exudative lymphocytosis occurs in two-thirds of cases (28,131,132), with predominance of CD4-I- lymphocytes 

Lung cancer is more common in patients with IPF, but an association between sarcoid-related pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer has not been found (139,140). 

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Soskel NT, Sharma OP. Pleural involvement in sarcoidosis. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2000 6(5) 455 8. 

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