title: Prevalence of asthma and atopy in sarcoidosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized that the prevalence of allergic disorders, characterized by the release of type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10), would be lower in sarcoidosis in which there is a dominant type 1 immune response (IL-2, interferon-gamma). The objective was to measure the prevalence of atopy and self-reported asthma in patients with sarcoidosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sarcoidosis patients (n = 136, 72 M, age range 22-75), recruited in the outpatient setting, completed a modified European Community Respiratory Health Survey. 123 of these patients provided blood for allergy testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the cohort as a whole the self-reported prevalence of asthma ever (21.5%) and asthma attack in the last 12 months (7.5%), was high as was wheezing (42.1%), breathlessness with wheeze (22.3%) and use of an asthma medication (13.1%). The prevalence of atopy was 34%. These data are not different from the previously reported prevalence of asthma and atopy in New Zealand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The same prevalence of asthma symptoms and atopy as in the normal population suggests that the immune system is not skewed away from mounting T helper type 2 immune responses in sarcoidosis.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Services, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand. mwilsher@adhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilsher
authors.forename: Raewyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cornere
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult