title: Venous thromboembolism and sarcoidosis: co-incidence or coexistence?
abstract: The association between venous thromboembolism (VTE) and sarcoidosis has been reported recently, nevertheless the true incidence of co-incident sarcoidosis and VTE is unknown. Sarcoidosis as a chronic disease of immune dysregulation might be associated with an increased risk of VTE. The mechanisms responsible for VTE development are not clear and may be influenced by several factors: activity of inflammation, clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis and comorbidities. Pulmonary embolism (PE) as a potentially fatal condition should be considered in all of the patients with sarcoidosis in whom worsening of the respiratory status is diagnosed. A high plasma D-dimers (DD) level may be suggestive of VTE, nevertheless elevated plasma DD should be interpreted with caution, in the context of the active inflammatory process. If sarcoidosis appears to be one of risk factors for VTE development, further investigations are needed to define the pro-thrombotic phenotype of this disease.
authors: 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Goljan-Geremek
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, Wolski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Geremek
authors: 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Elzbieta
authors: E
authors: Puscinska
authors: 4 Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Pawel
authors: P
authors: Sliwinski
keywords: inflammation; sarcoidosis; venous thromboembolism