CASE IN POINT

Glucocorticoid Treatment of Symptomatic Sarcoidosis in 2 Morbidly Obese Patients

Corticosteroid management for patients with sarcoidosis requires the need for close monitoring to detect and manage any complications that may arise during treatment.

Fed Pract. 2019 January;36(1):36-40

Author(s):

Lauren F. Comisar, MD

Michael M. Rey, MD

Mitchell L. Margolis, MD

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References

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4. Dobarro D, Schreiber BE, Handler C, Beynon H, Denton CP, Coghlan JG. Clinical characteristics, haemodynamics and treatment of pulmonary hypertension in sarcoidosis in a single centre, and meta-analysis of the published data. Am J Cardiol. 2013;111(2):278-285.

5. Cozier YC, Coogan PF, Govender P, Berman JS, Palmer JR, Rosenberg L. Obesity and weight gain in relation to incidence of sarcoidosis in US black women: data from the Black Women’s Health Study. Chest. 2015;147(4):1086-1093.

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11. Judson MA, Morgenthau AS, Baughman RP. Sarcoidosis. In: Broaddus VC, Mason RJ, Ernst JD, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel’s Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:1188-1206.

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Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory condition with pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations. The etiology of sarcoidosis remains unknown. Iannuzzi and colleagues hypothesize that an unknown antigen sets off a cycle of chronic granulomatous inflammation in a genetically susceptible host.¹

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of sarcoidosis is typically based on a patient having an appropriate clinical presentation and a biopsy, often of lungs or skin, showing noncaseating granulomas.

Symptoms

Of the protean manifestations of sarcoidosis, respiratory symptoms are the most common and typically include subacute or chronic cough and progressive dyspnea on exertion.² Chest imaging may show only hilar or mediastinal lymphadenopathy, diffuse micronodular lung disease, or signs of chronic inflammation and fibrosis.² Upper airway involvement and progressive lung disease may lead to increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing, particularly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).³

Sarcoidosis also can develop in the skin, neurologic system, heart, and other systems. It typically presents as areas of patchy, infiltrative inflammation. In the heart, this can lead to heart failure, often with reduced ejection fraction (EF) and ventricular arrhythmias.¹ Pulmonary hypertension (PH) may result from multiple possible mechanisms, including left-heart disease, parenchymal lung disease, sleep-disordered breathing, and possibly direct inflammation and compression of the pulmonary vasculature.^2-4

Sarcoidosis in Obese Patients

Emerging evidence shows that sarcoidosis occurs at higher rates in obese patients, suggesting that obesity may be a risk factor for the disease.^5-7 Rates of morbid obesity are increasing in the US. From 2000 to 2010, the prevalence of morbid obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) > 40, increased by 70%, with even larger relative increases in the number of patients with BMI > 50.⁸ Among veterans who receive health care at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, 28% are obese.⁹ As a result, VA physicians will encounter more patients with morbid obesity and another significant comorbid condition.

Managing symptomatic sarcoidosis in patients with morbid obesity poses a dilemma. Typical treatment for symptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis is prednisone 20 mg to 40 mg daily.^10,11 Higher doses are suggested for involvement of other organs, such as the heart.^2,12 Associated weight gain from corticosteroid treatment with possible sleep-disordered breathing increases an already high risk of metabolic complications in morbidly obese patients.¹³ No clear consensus exists on how corticosteroid doses should be adjusted. We present 2 cases that highlight the complexity of corticosteroid management in the obese sarcoidosis patient.

Case 1: Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

A 43-year-old morbidly obese man presented to his primary care provider with subacute onset of dyspnea. He had a history of OSA that was diagnosed empirically at another institution without polysomnogram and treated with autotitrating continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

The patient was admitted for expedited evaluation. His BMI was 63.2 with declining exercise tolerance and hypoxemia on ambulation. His oxyhemoglobin saturation rate was 85% after walking a short distance. Ongoing CPAP therapy for sleep-disordered breathing made laboratory evaluation for obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) challenging. The patient’s serum bicarbonate test result was normal. Serum markers as well as induced sputum stains and cultures were negative for evidence of mycobacterial or fungal infections. A chest radiograph showed bilateral hilar adenopathy and miliary nodularity. Pulmonary function testing revealed severe obstruction and restriction as well as a moderate diffusion impairment. Bronchoscopy with biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas consistent with sarcoidosis. An electrocardiogram (ECG) was normal. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed evidence of diastolic dysfunction and a mildly dilated right ventricle with normal function, suggestive of possible PH. We were unable to assess his pulmonary artery pressure.

Upon release, the patient began a course of 50 mg (0.24 mg/kg actual body weight) oral prednisone daily and home oxygen.

Six weeks after initiation of steroids, the patient reported that his dyspnea had improved. However, after 6 months of steroid treatment, his weight increased from 462 pounds to 503 pounds. He was evaluated for possible neurosarcoidosis with hypothalamic or pituitary involvement as a possible cause for the weight gain. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and hormonal testing were normal. We considered starting him on a steroid-sparing agent. However, after early efficacy, prednisone was gradually tapered and, after 1 year of treatment, discontinued. At that time, symptoms had substantially improved: His pulmonary function tests had normalized, and he was weaned off oxygen; repeat chest imaging showed only residual enlargement of the hilar lymph nodes. After cessation of steroids, the patient was able to lose 20 pounds.