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Hilker C, Weis J, Ziehfreund S, Arkema EV, Biedermann T, Zink A. "The chameleon among diseases" - an explorative view of sarcoidosis and identification of the consequences for affected patients and relatives using qualitative interviews. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:276. [PMID: 37679829 PMCID: PMC10486085 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02866-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease, with the lungs being the main site of manifestation. Although the exact etiology remains unclear, both genetic and environmental factors are being discussed. Diagnostic evaluation is challenging, and the management of chronic patients and assessment of their needs proves difficult, especially in the absence of targeted therapy. Studies on sarcoidosis patients have shown that quality of life is limited even after clinically measurable parameters have resolved. The question remains how patients and their relatives perceive medical care and the diagnostic process and how these affect their well-being. METHODS Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and their relatives between September 2019 and February 2020. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Deductive hypotheses were then formed based on categories according to personal aspects, symptoms, diagnostic, daily life activity, therapy, psychological aspects and wishes. RESULTS Fourteen patients and five relatives were included. Most patients reported subacute symptoms before the first organ-related episode. A high degree of personal initiative was required from the majority of respondents in both the diagnostic and subsequent therapeutic processes. In addition, respondents reported so-called "doctor-hopping", a lack of specialists or contacts, and a lack of medical support. The Internet and self-help groups played a fundamental role for patients and relatives in exchanging information with other affected persons and to compensate for an existing information deficit. CONCLUSION The results provide new insights into patients' and relatives' perceptions of the sarcoidosis diagnosis and treatment process. Identification of barriers such as a lack of physicians and an information deficit highlights potential targets for strategies to optimize sarcoidosis management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Hilker
- School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Johanna Weis
- School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Ziehfreund
- School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Elizabeth V. Arkema
- Clinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tilo Biedermann
- School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Zink
- School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
- Division of Dermatology and Venereology Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) describes an individual's perception of the impact of health, disease, and treatment on their quality of life (QoL). It is a reflection of how the manifestation of an illness and its treatment is personally experienced. Assessing HRQoL is particularly important in sarcoidosis because the attributable disease mortality is relatively low, and one of the major reasons for initiating treatment is to improve quality of life. HRQoL has been assessed in sarcoidosis using various generic and sarcoid-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). It is important that both the direct and indirect effects of the disease, as well as potential toxicities of therapy, are captured in the various PROMs used to assess HRQoL in sarcoidosis. This article provides a general overview of HRQoL in patients with sarcoidosis. It describes the various PROMs used to assess HRQoL in sarcoidosis and addresses the various factors that influence HRQoL in sarcoidosis. Specific attention is paid to fatigue, small fiber neuropathy, corticosteroid therapy, and other disease-specific factors that affect HRQoL in sarcoidosis. It also provides an insight into interventions that have been associated with improved HRQoL in sarcoidosis and offers suggestions for future research in this important area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogugua Ndili Obi
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
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Managing Fatigue in Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease. Chest 2020; 158:2026-2033. [PMID: 32387518 PMCID: PMC7674989 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.04.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatigue is one of the most burdensome symptoms in interstitial lung disease (ILD) and can have a major impact on quality of life, social interactions, and work capacity. The cause of fatigue is complex; it is caused or aggravated by a combination of different predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors. There is no uniform definition of fatigue, but it is often divided in physical and mental components. Several validated questionnaires can be used for structural assessment of fatigue in daily care. Although the high burden of fatigue in ILD is recognized increasingly, studies that have investigated pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment options are scarce. Because fatigue in ILD is often a multifactorial problem, therapeutic interventions ideally should be aimed at different domains. One of the first steps is to optimize treatment of the underlying disease. Subsequently, treatable causes of fatigue should be identified and treated. Recently, an increasing number of studies showed that supportive measures have the potential to improve fatigue. However, evidence-based treatment guidelines are lacking, and more research is highly needed in this field. In clinical practice, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and individually tailored approach seems best fit to optimize treatment of fatigue in patients with ILD.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The current review discusses the diagnosis and management of nonorgan-related symptoms that commonly arise in the setting of systemic sarcoidosis. Fatigue, small fiber neuropathy (SFN) and neuropsychological symptoms are highlighted. RECENT FINDINGS The debilitating effects of chronic nonorgan-based symptoms in sarcoidosis have led to recent studies focusing on incidence rates, contributing factors and potential therapeutic strategies. In a web-based survey of over 1000 sarcoidosis patients, the most common symptom was fatigue, which was reported by over 90% of participants, whereas memory loss and concentration problems were reported in 50%. SFN was also common, and may be diagnosed with tools such as skin biopsy measurement of intraepidermal nerve fibers and corneal confocal microscopy. In a recent cohort study of SFN patients, serologic evaluation demonstrated other contributing causes such as diabetes and vitamin B12 deficiency, which warrant-specific treatment. Finally, physical inactivity in patients with sarcoidosis correlated with lower quality-of-life (QOL) scores and possibly fatigue. Multidisciplinary programs that include physical therapy, patient education and psychological support were found to improve fatigue and mood disorders. SUMMARY Recognition of nonorgan-related symptoms and their impact on patient QOL is essential to optimal treatment of the sarcoidosis patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinny Tavee
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland OH
| | - Daniel Culver
- Sarcoidosis Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Abstract
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disorder of unknown cause that is characterized by granuloma formation in affected organs, most often in the lungs. Patients frequently suffer from cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and pronounced fatigue and are at risk of developing lung fibrosis or irreversible damage to other organs. The disease develops in genetically predisposed individuals with exposure to an as-yet unknown antigen. Genetic factors affect not only the risk of developing sarcoidosis but also the disease course, which is highly variable and difficult to predict. The typical T cell accumulation, local T cell immune response and granuloma formation in the lungs indicate that the inflammatory response in sarcoidosis is induced by specific antigens, possibly including self-antigens, which is consistent with an autoimmune involvement. Diagnosis can be challenging for clinicians because of the potential for almost any organ to be affected. As the aetiology of sarcoidosis is unknown, no specific treatment and no pathognomic markers exist. Thus, improved biomarkers to determine disease activity and to identify patients at risk of developing fibrosis are needed. Corticosteroids still constitute the first-line treatment, but new treatment strategies, including those targeting quality-of-life issues, are being evaluated and should yield appropriate, personalized and more effective treatments.
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Scalp hair cortisol and testosterone levels in patients with sarcoidosis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215763. [PMID: 31199799 PMCID: PMC6568399 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with sarcoidosis often experience fatigue and psychological distress, but little is known about the etiology of these conditions. While serum and saliva steroid hormones are used to monitor acute steroid levels, scalp hair analysis is a relatively new method enabling measurement of long-term steroid levels, including hair cortisol reflecting chronic stress. We investigated whether scalp hair cortisol and testosterone levels differ between sarcoidosis patients both with and without fatigue and general population controls. Additionally, we studied if these hormones could serve as objective biomarkers for psychological distress in patients with sarcoidosis. Methods We measured hair steroid levels using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in glucocorticoid naïve sarcoidosis patients. Patients completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Fatigue Assessment Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Short Form 36 (SF-36). Hair steroid levels from 293 participants of the population-based Lifelines cohort study served as controls. Results Thirty-two patients (14 males) were included. Hair cortisol, but not testosterone, concentrations were significantly higher in patients with sarcoidosis than in general population controls (mean 6.6 versus 2.7 pg/mg, p<0.001). No differences were found in hair cortisol and testosterone levels between fatigued and non-fatigued patients with sarcoidosis. Hair cortisol of sarcoidosis patients correlated significantly with anxiety (r = 0.47, p = 0.01), depression (r = 0.46, p = 0.01), and SF-36 mental domain (r = -0.38, p = 0.03), but not with fatigue. Conclusions Patients with sarcoidosis have chronically higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than the normal population, while testosterone levels in hair did not differ. Hair cortisol levels were positively related to subjective measures of psychological distress, but not to fatigue. Our study shows that hair cortisol is a promising non-invasive biomarker for psychological distress in patients with sarcoidosis. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03108547. Registered 31 March 2017, retrospectively registered.
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Everyday cognitive failure and depressive symptoms predict fatigue in sarcoidosis: A prospective follow-up study. Respir Med 2018; 138S:S24-S30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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van Leeuwen N, Bossema ER, Knoop H, Kruize AA, Bootsma H, Bijlsma JWJ, Geenen R. Psychological profiles in patients with Sjogren's syndrome related to fatigue: a cluster analysis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2014; 54:776-83. [DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keu387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Atay IM, Erturan I, Demirdas A, Yaman GB, Yürekli VA. The impact of personality on quality of life and disease activity in patients with Behcet's disease: a pilot study. Compr Psychiatry 2014; 55:511-7. [PMID: 24342057 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 10/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to examine the personality characteristics of patients with Behcet's Disease (BD) using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) compared with healthy control subjects and to investigate the relationship between the temperament and character properties and quality of life, disease activity, depression and anxiety in Behcet's patients. METHODS A total of 46 BD patients and 40 healthy subjects were included in the study. All patients and controls were determined using the TCI, Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Clinical Version for Axis I disorders (SCID-CV), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Quality of life (QOL) Instrument for Skin Disorders and Behcet Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF). RESULTS BD patients demonstrated significantly lower Reward Dependence than healthy controls. Among the subscales; Explarotory Excitability, Shyness with Strangers, Attachment, Spiritual Acceptance were lower and Self-Acceptance was higher in patients compared to control subjects. Decreased quality of life and increased disease activity of the patients were correlated with increased anxiety and depression. Responsibility, Self-Forgetfulness and Transpersonal Identification were associated with quality of life while Responsibility was the major factor effecting QOL. Disease activity was not found related with TCI properties. CONCLUSION Temperament and Character traits of BD patients were different from healthy group that might be due to many factors like genetics, biological or socio-cultural differences. BD patients were demonstrated as materialistic, self-contained, self-confident, cold, detached, and reserved although they are not shy. Considering the different personality traits of BD patients in psychotherapeutic approaches, may have a positive impact on QOL and comorbid major depressive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inci Meltem Atay
- Suleyman Demirel University Department of Psychiatry, Isparta, Turkey.
| | - Ijlal Erturan
- Suleyman Demirel University Department of Dermatology, Isparta, Turkey.
| | - Arif Demirdas
- Suleyman Demirel University Department of Psychiatry, Isparta, Turkey.
| | - Gozde Bacık Yaman
- Suleyman Demirel University Department of Psychiatry, Isparta, Turkey.
| | - Vedat Ali Yürekli
- Suleyman Demirel University Department of Neurology, Isparta, Turkey.
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Braam AWE, de Haan SN, Vorselaars ADM, Rijkers GT, Grutters JC, van den Elshout FJJ, Korenromp IHE. Influence of repeated maximal exercise testing on biomarkers and fatigue in sarcoidosis. Brain Behav Immun 2013; 33:57-64. [PMID: 23727274 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2013.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatigue in the immune mediated inflammatory disease sarcoidosis is thought to be associated with impaired exercise tolerance. This prospective study assessed fatigue and recuperative capacity after repeated exercise, and examined whether changing concentrations in biomarkers upon exercise are associated with fatigue. Twenty sarcoidosis patients and 10 healthy volunteers performed maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests on two successive days. Concentrations of cytokines, stress hormones, ACE and CK were assessed before and after the two exercise tests, and 3 days thereafter. All participants completed a sleep diary. Severely fatigued patients showed significant lower VO2 max (p=0.038, p=0.022) and maximal workload (p=0.034, p=0.028) on both exercise tests compared to healthy controls. No impairment of maximal exercise testing was demonstrated during the second cycling test in any group. Fatigue was not correlated with changes in concentrations of biomarkers upon exercise. Severely fatigued patients rated both tests as significantly more fatiguing, and reported significant lower mean subjective night sleeping time during the testing period. Fatigue in sarcoidosis patients cannot be objectified by reduction of exercise capacity after repeated maximal exercise testing, and is not correlated with significant changes in biomarkers. Severe fatigue is only and consistently featured by patient reported outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A W E Braam
- Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands; Beatrix Hospital, Gorinchem, The Netherlands
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee K Brown
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicien, Albuquerque, NM; Program in Sleep Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM.
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