Sarcoidosi a primitiva localizzazione cutanea. Studio clinico-prognostico e istopatologico di 17 pazienti

We present the results of a clinical, prognostic and histopathological study of 17 patients with sarcoidosis primarily involving the skin. Our caselist consists of 17 Caucasian patients observed between 1969 and 1989: 4 were males and 13 females, aged 23 to 70 years, with a mean age of 49.8 years. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination. All patients were subjected to numerous laboratory and instrumental examinations. According to the spreading of the lesions, all patients were treated with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide or oral prednisone. Minimum follow-up was 2 years (range: 2-22 years). Sarcoidosis primarily involving the skin does not seem to show predilection for any region, being almost ubiquitarily present throughout the skin surface. In most of the patients the lesions were multiple and polymorphous. During follow-up 8 patients (1 male and 7 females) showed involvement of one or more extracutaneous organs: 7 patients were previously treated with oral prednisone. Systemic involvement appeared 2 to 5 years after hospitalization and affected lungs in 6 patients, lymphnodes in 5, and eye, liver and bones in 1 patient each. On the basis of our results, sarcoidosis primarily involving the skin is not necessarily followed by systemic involvement: this might be supported by systemic corticosteroids.