Sarcoidosis among U.S. Navy enlisted men, 1965-1993.
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology with highest incidence among young and middle-aged adults. In the United States, the risk for sarcoidosis is substantially higher among blacks than among other races (1,2); however, the reasons for this association are unknown. In response to the occurrence of a case of sarcoidosis in a U.S. Navy (USN) enlisted man, CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analyzed USN data on cases of sarcoidosis diagnosed among active-duty enlisted personnel during 1965-1993. This report summarizes the findings of this analysis, which indicate that the incidence of sarcoidosis declined among USN enlisted men during 1965-1993, particularly among blacks, and that the risk for sarcoidosis was statistically associated with the assignment of USN enlisted men to aircraft carriers.
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D044383:Black People; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American