DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics16132079 ISSN: 2075-4418

Quality of Life in Sarcoidosis

Evelyn Lynn, James Tadjkarimi, Valencia Lim, Vasileios Kouranos

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease characterised by a heterogeneous clinical presentation and variable disease course. Despite low mortality, the burden of sarcoidosis extends beyond organ involvement, with many patients reporting significant impairment in quality of life (QoL). Fatigue, chronic cough, and small fibre neuropathy (SFN) are among the most prevalent and debilitating symptoms reported by patients, often demonstrating poor correlation with conventional markers of disease activity and frequently persisting despite apparent disease control. This review examines the impact of sarcoidosis on QoL and highlights the limitations of traditional assessment tools, including imaging and pulmonary function testing, in capturing the full extent of disease burden. The role of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is discussed, including generic instruments and sarcoidosis-specific tools such as the King’s Sarcoidosis Questionnaire (KSQ), Sarcoidosis Health Questionnaire (SHQ), and Sarcoidosis Assessment Tool (SAT), alongside symptom-specific measures targeting fatigue, neuropathic symptoms, and cough. Current and emerging management strategies aimed at improving QoL are reviewed, including immunosuppressive therapies, biologic agents, and non-pharmacological interventions. Despite increasing recognition of QoL as a key outcome, its integration into clinical trials remains inconsistent. Incorporating PROMs into routine clinical practice and research is essential to enable comprehensive assessment and support patient-centred care. Greater emphasis on QoL outcomes may improve therapeutic decision-making and overall disease management in sarcoidosis.

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