title: A case of non-resolving cough and weight loss.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous multi-system disease with a clinical picture often mimicking tuberculosis. We present a case of a patient who presented with a clinical picture akin to both of these granulomatous disorders and was started on anti-tuberculous regimen despite the lack of any solid evidence pointing towards tuberculosis. As a result her clinical condition continued to deteriorate for months until finally a bronchoscopic biopsy established her disease process as sarcoidosis. She was then started on systemic corticosteroid therapy for sarcoidosis and during the ensuing period has shown marked improvement in her clinical picture with near normalization of the biochemical and radiographic parameters of her pathology. This case illustrates the need for vigilant interpretation of the clinical scenario in patients such as these where a misdiagnosis may lead to significant patient distress as well as weighing down on the economic and health resources.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, The Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: Ali Bin Sarwar
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Zubairi
authors.forename: Fawad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aslam
authors.forename: Kashif
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: Suhail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muzaffar
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis; D015431:Weight Loss