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Causes of Sarcoidosis



The exact cause of Sarcoidosis is still unknown. Experts believe that many factors that occur in combination with each other may result in the disease. The possible causes of Sarcoidosis may be:

  • Abnormal immune reaction to an infection
  • Extreme sensitivity to environmental factors
  • Genetics may determine which organs are affected and what triggers off your immune system to develop the disease

The risk factors of Sarcoidosis include:

  • Race - African Americans are more vulnerable to developing the condition than Caucasians. People from Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland or Puerto Rico also fall within the high-risk category. The reason for this is still not known.
  • Gender - Women are more affected with Sarcoidosis than men.
  • Age - The condition is most commonly found in people between the ages of 20 and 40. The disease rarely affects young children.
  • Genetics - If you have a family member with Sarcoidosis, there is a greater risk of you developing the same condition.
  • Geographic Location – Reports indicate that countries such as Norway and Sweden as well as the United States have high rates of Sarcoidosis. Whether this is due to large scale screening and diagnosis of the disease or some other factors is still being investigated.

Sarcoidosis
Signs & Symptoms
References
  1. Sonya R. Hardin, Cat's claw: An Amazonian vine decreases inflammation in osteoarthritis, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Volume 13, Issue 1, February 2007, Pages 25-28, ISSN 1744-3881, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2006.10.003.