Epidemiological features of Turkish patients with sarcoidosis

Received 17 August 2008; accepted 8 December 2008. published online 02 February 2009.

Summary

Epidemiological characteristics of sarcoidosis differ according to geographical distribution. The aim of our study was to disclose epidemiological characteristics in our country.

The data was collected from investigators, who sent information on newly-diagnosed patients via internet.

In 2 years 198 female and 95 male patients were enrolled to the study (f/m:2.08). Mean age of patients was 44±13 years (17–90). Mean age of male patients was 38±12 while mean age of female patients was 48±13 (p<0.001). 73.4% of patients were nonsmokers (85.4% of females; 48.4% of males; (p<0.001)). About 50% of our 293 patients were housewives. Familial sarcoidosis was found in 3 patients' first degree relatives. Estimated annual incidence of sarcoidosis for Turkey was calculated as 4 per 100,000 person.

According to our study, 2/3 of sarcoidosis patients were women; mean age of patients was 45 and the disease began 10 years later in female patients. 80% of patients were nonsmokers; negative relation between sarcoidosis and smoking was evident especially in women. Familial sarcoidosis frequency was lower compared to other studies in the literature. There was no occupational exposure history in our patients. Our incidence rate, is similar with the results of other European studies.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Sarcoidosis, Turkey

a Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey

b Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Ankara, Turkey

c Yedikule Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

d Sureyyapasa Training and Research Hospital for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey

e Uludag University Medical Faculty Chest Diseases Department, Bursa, Turkey

f Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Samsun, Turkey

g Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey

h Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

i Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Duzce, Turkey

j Department of Chest Disease, Trakya University Hospital, Edirne, Turkey

k Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Department of Pulmonology, Manisa, Turkey

l Pamukkale University Medical Faculty, Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Denizli, Turkey

m Department Pulmonary Medicine, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

n Department of Chest Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Department Of Chest Diseases, Izmir Training and Research Hospital For Chest Diseases And Thoracic Surgery, Izmir, Turkey

o Department of Chest Disease, School of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

p Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Department of Respiratory Diseases, Antalya, Turkey

q Department Of Chest Disease, Faculty Of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey

r Department of Chest Diseases, Gulhane Military Medical School, Ankara, Turkey

s Istanbul Vatan Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Corresponding author. Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Kocamustafapasa, Fatih, İstanbul, Turkey. Tel.: +90 505 8022373.

PII: S0954-6111(08)00452-6

doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2008.12.011

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