Aim: To describe the incidence, clinical presentation and paraclinical findings in childhood sarcoidosis in Denmark, 1979–1994. Methods: Patients (n= 5536) with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis were drawn from the nationwide Patient Registry; 81 patients were ±15 y of age. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was reconfirmed in 48/81 (59%) patients. In 35/48 (73%) patients, diagnosis was verified by histology, and in 13 it was substantiated by paraclinical/clinical findings. Results: The series comprised 26 boys and 22 girls (male/female ratio 1.18). Median age at diagnosis was 13 y (range 0.7–15). In 1979–1994 the incidence was 0.29 per 100 000 person‐years ±15 y of age. The incidence was 0.06 in children ±4 y of age and increased gradually with age to 1.02 in children aged 14–15 y. General malaise, fever, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, respiratory symptoms, lymphadenopathy and central nervous system symptoms were common; 31% of patients had erythema nodosum, 12.5% sarcoid skin lesions, 25% uveitis/iridocyclitis and 4.2% sarcoid arthritis. Chest X‐rays were normal (stage 0) in 10% of patients, and showed pulmonary infiltrates stage I in 71%, stage II in 8.3% and stage III in 8.3%. Lung function tests were examined in 13 patients: 50% had decreased FEV1 and vital capacity, 80% decreased DLCO. Haemoglobin values were normal. Some patients had mild leukopenia, some moderate leukocytosis and a few had moderate eosinophilia. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated in 40% of the patients. Plasma calcium was elevated in 30% of the patients; 4 patients had severe hypercalcaemia and elevated plasma creatinine, and 1 patient had nephrocalcinosis. Serum angiotensin‐converting enzyme was elevated in 55% of the patients. Liver function tests were normal with no sarcoid hepatitis. Urinary examination (glucose, albumin, haemoglobin) was normal in 96% of the patients; the patient with nephrocalcinosis had albuminuria and haematuria. Conclusion: The incidence of sarcoidosis in Danish children is low and increases with age. Sarcoidosis in young children may present clinical features that are different from the appearance of those in older children and often constitute a diagnostic challenge. In older children, the clinical appearance has many features in common with the presentation in adults.

Objectives: We retrospectively reviewed 5 patients with neurosarcoidosis, who all presented with central diabetes insipidus and hypogonadism. Design: This was a single-centre, retrospective analysis of 5 cases with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Methods: Case analysis included clinical, biochemical, and endocrinological evaluation and frequent CT/MRI scans of involved organs as primary evaluation and in response to immunosuppressive therapy. Result: Neurosarcoidosis was diagnosed in all patients. Two patients had no proven extracerebral manifestation and had a stable disease over 3 and 5 years. One patient showed deterioration with corticosteroids alone but partial remission after additional cyclophosphamide. Pituitary dysfunction remained unchanged in all patients, despite total clinical and radiological remission in two patients. However, one of these patients died of acute granulomatous meningoencephalitis after two years of follow-up. Conclusion: Although the presenting symptoms of neurosarcoidosis may vary, the occurrence of central diabetes insipidus associated with typical radiological features is suggestive of neurosarcoidosis. However, there is an increasing number of case reports on lymphocytic hypophysitis. Without the bioptic diagnosis, the differentiation between potentially lethal isolated neurosarcoidosis and lymphocytic hypophysitis is difficult. These cases demonstrate the difficulties in diagnosing neurosarcoidosis and reflect experiences with follow-up parameters.

The aim of the present study was to describe clinical features and long-term survival in childhood sarcoidosis.In total, 46 ethnic Caucasian Danish children (aged ,16 yrs, 24 males) with sarcoidosis were identified in 1979-1994. In 33 (72%) children, diagnosis was verified by histology and, in the remaining 13, by clinical and radiological findings. In total, 37 subjects had a follow-up examination. Median (range) age at onset of disease was 14 (0.7-15.8) yrs and median (range) clinical follow-up was 15 (3-23) yrs after onset of disease. The median (range) age at clinical follow-up was 28 (17-30) yrs.At follow-up: 36 (78%) children recovered completely; 30 (65%) showed complete clinical regression at a median (range) 0.7 (0.6-5.9) yrs after onset of disease; two (4%) recovered with organ damage (unilateral loss of vision, abnormal chest radiograph); five (11%) still had chronic active disease with multiorgan involvement and impaired lung function; and three (7%) were deceased, due to central nervous system sarcoidosis and acute myeloid leukaemia probably caused by cytostatics.In Danish children, sarcoidosis had a favourable prognosis; the majority recovered ,6 yrs after onset of disease. Some developed chronic active disease and impairment of pulmonary function, demanding continuous medical treatment. Prognosis was not related to the age at onset of disease. Erythema nodosum was associated with a good prognosis, and central nervous system involvement with a poor prognosis.

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