MOTA, Patrícia Caetano; FERREIRA, Ana Reis; MORAIS, António    CASTRO, Eunice Dias de. Atopy and sarcoidosis: What is the relationship between both entities?. []. , 20, 1, pp.59-64. ISSN 0871-9721.

Background: The relationship between diseases associated with Th1 and Th2 type immune responses remains unclear, namely the influence of Th2 responses on the evolution of diseases characterised by Th1 deviation. Case report: Thirty year-old female with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis to grass pollen; no previous respiratory symptoms; past episode of erythema nodosum. After four years of specific immunotherapy she started wheezing and dyspnoea. Lung function tests showed a restrictive syndrome; chest computed tomography revealed mediastinal lymphadenopathies and small parenchymal nodules, and bronchoalveolar lavage showed lymphocytic alveolitis with a predominance of CD4⁺ cells. These findings were suggestive of sarcoidosis. Discussion: Previous studies suggest a lower prevalence of atopy in patients with sarcoidosis, despite a better sarcoidosis prognosis in patients with atopy. However, the current understanding of the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis questions these data, making prospective studies needed to better clarify these issues.

: Atopy; diagnosis; sarcoidosis.

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