Sarcoidosis as an autoimmune disorder

Kiureley B. Efremova , Liubov A. Ponomareva , Vitaly A. Zisman , Igor S. Zubarev , Aleksandra D. Sazhina , Vandana Modi , Stephka G. Radenska-Lopovok , Elena N. Popova

For citation:

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of unknown etiology characterized by the formation of non-caseifying epithelioid cell granulomas in various organs, more often affecting the lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes. Data on the pathogenetic interaction between sarcoidosis and autoimmune disorders are limited, although the theory of the autoimmune nature of sarcoidosis is leading. The combination of sarcoidosis with a systemic autoimmune process can contribute to an extremely variable and unpredictable course of the disease and complicate the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Information on the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the rare association of sarcoidosis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the same patient is insufficient. We demonstrate the observation of a patient with morphologically confirmed sarcoidosis and laboratory criteria for SLE. Coronavirus infection can be considered the trigger of the disease in a patient. The argument in favor of this is the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 virus proteins in the cells of the granuloma and vascular endothelium. SARS-CoV-2, which is tropic to ACE receptors and often causes microangiopathy, could contribute to the development of sarcoid granulomatosis with autoimmune manifestations characteristic of SLE.

Keywords: sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, coronavirus infection COVID-19, antinuclear antibodies.

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For citation:Efremova K.B., Ponomareva L.A., Zisman V.A., Zubarev I.S., Sazhina A.D., Modi V., Radenska-Lopovok S.G., Popova E.N. Sarcoidosis as an autoimmune disorder. Clinical review for general practice. 2026; 7 (5): 81–86 (In Russ.). DOI: 10.47407/kr2026.7.7.00890

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Clinical review for general practice