title: Sarcoidosis with upper respiratory tract involvement.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the upper respiratory tract as a site of extrapulmonary sarcoidosis. Diagnosis of sarcoidosis with upper respiratory tract involvement was performed on the basis of clinical, laboratory, radiographic and histological evidence and by excluding other granulomatous diseases in eight patients followed by the Sarcoidosis Regional Reference Centre pneumologists in collaboration with an experienced ENT specialist at Siena University. In five cases, sarcoidosis was localized in the parotid glands, in the other three subjects larynx, nasopharynx and nose were involved. In four patients parotid gland, nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract mucous membrane involvement was the only clinical manifestation at onset of the disease. Upper respiratory tract involvement should be suspected in all patients with systemic sarcoidosis and in patients with persistent upper respiratory tract symptoms of unknown cause. What a general practitioner should do as not to miss SURT is underlined. Interdisciplinary management and collaboration are of paramount importance for rapid diagnosis and to avoid the possible complications of this form.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Diseases Section, Department of Immunology and Clinical Medicine, Siena University, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rottoli
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bargagli
authors.forename: Carmelina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chidichimo
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nuti
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cintorino
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ginanneschi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caruso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010305:Parotid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*