Is lymphopenia detected in sarcoidosis associated with the disease activity?

Abstract

Objective: The association of lymphopenia detected in patients with sarcoidosis with disease activity was investigated in the present study. Methods: Patients who were diagnosed as having sarcoidosis and healthy volunteers/individuals with no diagnosis of active disease between July 2016 and June 2017 were included in this study. Patients who were detected to have an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) of 80% was 2±0.7 (p=0.016). A positive correlation was detected between ALC and DLCO% (p=0.044, r=0.230). Although lymphopenia was detected in 42% of patients whose DLCO value was 80% (p=0.01). No significant association was detected among the sarcoidosis stage, symptom, and radiologic findings of the patients with the absolute lymphocyte count (p>0.05). Conclusion: Lymphopenia is frequently detected in patients with sarcoidosis. Lower DLCO values may be detected in patients with lymphopenic sarcoidosis.