Cardiac and neurologic dysfunction in sarcoidosis.

Clinically apparent involvement of the heart and nervous system occurs in a relatively small number of patients with sarcoidosis. The diagnosis of myocardial and neurological sarcoidosis is difficult because anatomic presence of granulomas without clinical dysfunction is an important feature of sarcoidosis. The chest radiography is abnormal in 8 of every 10 patients with myocardial or neurosarcoidosis. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme and gallium uptake studies may provide some indication of the extent and severity of the granulomatous process. Corticosteriods are the mainstay of therapy but chloroquine or hydroxychloriquine, methotrexate, and azathioprine are also effective. Prognosis of myocardial and neurological sarcoidosis is poor.