FAMILIAL SARCOIDOSIS - 3 CASES

Introduction, - Familial sarcoidosis is rare. We reviewed 147 cases of sarcoidosis, whatever their localization, diagnosed al Rabat-Sale Uni versity Hospital, during a period of 10 years (1983-1993). Among these cases, we report those of three patients with sarcoidosis, in a same family. The observations concern three generations. Observations, - Ob servation 1: the grandmother presented with pulmonary sarcoidosis. Obs ervation 2: the mother presented with sarcoidosis of the skin, joint a nd lung. Observation 3: the daughter had cutaneous and pulmonary local izations. Discussion, - The real frequency of familial sarcoidosis is probably underestimated because of the big number of latent forms. A r eview of the literature allowed us to find 43 families with sarcoidosi s. There is no clinical difference between familial sarcoidosis and us ual forms of the disease, as confirmed by our findings. The prepondera nce of patients of the same sex in the same family, like our mother-da ughter filtration is, described by the majority of the authors. This l eads to suppose the existence of genetic factors. Neither this theory nor the one suggesting the possibility for etiologic agent that could perhaps affect the same persons in the same family can be currently de monstrated. Any association with an HLA group in the familial cases of sarcoidosis is unlikely. Conclusion, - The rarity of familial sarcoid osis forms makes very difficult to establish theories regarding the fa milial predisposition. (C) 1998, Elsevier, Paris.