Results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2012
International Conference in San Francisco. The exact cause of
sarcoidosis, which causes inflammation in the lungs, lymph
nodes, liver, skin and other tissues, are unknown. The disease
typically begins between the ages of 20 and 40 years, and is
more likely to affect individuals who have a close blood
relative with the disease. Sarcoidosis is often associated with
debilitating lung illness, including pulmonary fibrosis, a life-
threatening condition in which fibrous tissue develops within
the lungs. While all ages and races can develop sarcoidosis, in
the United States, black women have a higher incidence of the
disease, and tend to have a more severe course and higher
mortality rates. "Despite the disproportionate morbidity and
mortality of sarcoidosis in black females, few studies have
specifically addressed causes of death in this population," said
study lead author Melissa Tukey, MD, pulmonary and critical care
medicine fellow at Boston Medical Center.