Sarcoidosis: family contact study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the familial aggregation in sarcoidosis in our environment.


METHODS
The medical centers of Catalonia (Spain) were approached to identify, retrospectively, patients diagnosed as sarcoidosis from 1986 to 1988. 245 sarcoidosis cases were recorded (annual incidence: 1.36/100,000 inhabitants). Finally, in 1990 a telephone questionnaire was administered to 188 sarcoidosis cases.


RESULTS
These cases reported 3,757 familial contacts, 5 of whom had confirmed sarcoidosis. The clinical presentation of familial sarcoidosis was similar to nonfamilial sarcoidosis, only Löfgren syndrome stood out. The prevalence of sarcoidosis among familial contacts was 1.33/1,000.


CONCLUSIONS
The familial association is low and corresponds with the low annual incidence in our community.
Fité
E
E
Pneumology Department, Germans Trias i, Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Spain.
Alsina
J M
JM
Antó
J M
JM
Morera
J
J
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate