CHEST Guidelines-Obesity-and-Sarcoidosis-Risk

Obesity-and-Sarcoidosis-Risk_chest

Pdf Summary

The relationship between obesity and the risk of developing sarcoidosis is complex and has been the subject of various studies with differing results. Sarcoidosis, a difficult-to-diagnose disease, has potential etiological and contributory factors including infectious, occupational, and environmental exposures, host factors, and obesity, which is measured by body mass index (BMI). Historically, studies have suggested a link between obesity and an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, including sarcoidosis, potentially due to systemic inflammation caused by adipose tissue.<br /><br />Certain studies have found associations between higher BMIs and the incidence of sarcoidosis in diverse populations, such as in the Danish National Birth Cohort and the Black Women’s Health Study. However, a large study conducted within the Veterans Health Administration, which had a predominantly male and White sample, found no direct association between BMI and the risk of sarcoidosis. This study highlighted the limitations of using BMI as the sole measure of obesity, as it does not differentiate between lean and fatty mass or account for central adiposity, factors that are more indicative of obesity-related health risks.<br /><br />The study suggests that the lack of association could be attributed to the limitations in BMI's representation of body composition and the potential influence of certain unmeasured demographic characteristics such as military service details and the presence of central obesity.<br /><br />To advance the understanding of obesity's connection to sarcoidosis, future research should utilize more comprehensive measures of body fat and inflammation, distinguishing between adiposity and overall mass. This approach could provide clearer insights into how obesity influences the risk of sarcoidosis and other diseases, and move beyond the BMI-centric view that has dominated epidemiological studies thus far.

Keywords

obesity

sarcoidosis

BMI

systemic inflammation

autoimmune diseases

body composition

adiposity

epidemiological studies

Veterans Health Administration

Danish National Birth Cohort