The Frequency of Granulomatous Lacrimal Gland Inflammation as a Cause of Lacrimal Gland Enlargement in Patients Without a Diagnosis of Systemic Sarcoidosis

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the rates of orbital sarcoidosis in patients with clinical lacrimal gland enlargement and no history of sarcoidosis.Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients from the Orbital Surgery Service at Wills Eye Institute who underwent lacrimal gland incisional biopsy from 1994–2009 for lacrimal gland enlargement. Patients were excluded if they had a history of sarcoidosis, other autoimmunities, or lacrimal gland enlargement thought to be malignant in etiology. Subject charts were reviewed for pathology results, as well as clinical and demographic data. Rates of sarcoidosis in a patient population presenting with isolated lacrimal gland enlargement were thereby analyzed.Results: 75 patients fulfilling study criteria had lacrimal gland biopsies. 67 (89)% had benign lacrimal gland pathology and 8 (11)% had malignant lacrimal gland pathology. Sarcoidosis was found histologically in 15 (20%). The most frequent pathologic finding was non-specific chronic non-granulomatous inflammation, seen in 32 (43%) studies specimens. Age and gender were not statistically different between sarcoid positive and sarcoid negative patients. Patients with a positive biopsy were more likely to be African American. 26 (35%) of the studied patients had ACE levels obtained. The average ACE level was statistically greater in patients with sarcoidosis-positive biopsies than in those with negative biopsies.Discussion: In patients with clinical lacrimal gland enlargement, incisional biopsy led to a diagnosis of sarcoidosis in 20% of patients. An elevated ACE level may help predict which patients have a greater diagnostic yield with biopsy.