Sarcoid heart disease

Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Systemic Sarcoidosis

“…Clinically recognizable sarcoid involvement of the heart occurs in less than 10% of the patients, although cardiac granulomas are found in as many as 30% at autopsy. [5][6][7] Autonomic dysfunction is associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease that may be explained by the fact that autonomic imbalance predisposes individuals to cardiac arrhythmias. 3 In Japan, approximately 73% of the patients had died of myocardial sarcoidosis 4 and sudden death was accepted as the most common manifestation of clinically significant myocardial involvement.…”

“…3 In Japan, approximately 73% of the patients had died of myocardial sarcoidosis 4 and sudden death was accepted as the most common manifestation of clinically significant myocardial involvement. [5][6][7] Autonomic dysfunction is associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease that may be explained by the fact that autonomic imbalance predisposes individuals to cardiac arrhythmias. [8][9][10] Measurement of 24-hour heart rate variability (HRV) is a practical noninvasive method for studying cardiac autonomic function.…”

Cardiac sarcoidosis

“…A permanent endocardial pacemaker should be used early in patients with unstable or complete heart block; corticosteroids are usually needed in patients who have pacemakers. Reports such as that of Fleming and Bailey18 suggest that treatment with corticosteroids results in a reduction in the numbers of premature beats and episodes of tachycardia with easier control of arrhythmias, and an improvement may also be seen in conduction defects. The danger of sudden death may also be diminished.…”

Cardiac sarcoidosis: An elusive diagnosis

“…Myocardial involvement is a major contributor to mortality in patients with sarcoid­osis 1 . Cardiac involvement can become apparent at any stage of the disease, and may precede or follow extra­cardiac manifestations by several years 4 . Many patients with clinically apparent cardiac involvement have minimal evidence of disease elsewhere 4,5 .…”