Abstract
Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic inflammatory granulomatous disease that affects both the central and peripheral nervous system. The neurological manifestations depend on the areas of the neuroaxis affected. In the brain, patients with neurosarcoidosis have leptomeningeal and intraparenchymal infiltration of granulomas that leads to, for example, cranial nerve palsies, basal meningitis, and endocrine dysfunction. It can cause peripheral neuropathies such as mononeuritis multiplex and sensorimotor polyneuropathy as well as radiculopathy and myopathy. Diagnosis and management of patients with neurosarcoidosis are challenging given that the gold standard is tissue-proven biopsy, which, in most cases of neurological illness, is difficult to obtain. Treatment strategies have not been rigorously evaluated but corticosteroids are considered the drug of choice. Other immunosuppressant agents such as cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, and infliximab are efficacious in the treatment of neurosarcoidosis.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 419-427 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 3 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Neurosarcoidosis
- immunosuppression
- inflammation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine