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SARCOIDOSIS: David J. Prezant, Atheya Dhala, Andrew Goldstein, Denise Janus, Felipe Ortiz, Thomas K. Aldrich, and Kelly J. Kelly The Incidence, Prevalence, and Severity of Sarcoidosis in New York City Firefighters Chest 1999; 116: 1183-1193 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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I Believe Fire Fighting Can Cause Sarcoidosis

Michael J Steenstra   (6 December 2000)

I Believe Fire Fighting Can Cause Sarcoidosis 6 December 2000
Michael J Steenstra, Ex-Firefighter Sarcoidosis and Fire Fighting Send letter to journal: Re: I Believe Fire Fighting Can Cause Sarcoidosis M.Steenstra{at}worldnet.att.net Michael J Steenstra	My name is Mike Steenstra and I was a firefighter for Springfield,Missouri. In the summer of 1999, I started having problems with a dry cough that I could not get rid of. I went to a doctor who diagnosed allergies just by that visit. I got my medicine and took it, but nothing helped. I then went again to a different doctor who again put me on allergy medicine but about a week later, I really got sick, went again and that time they did a chest X-ray. I was amazed at how this doctor and his nurse practioner got running around the clinic to get input from the specialists. I thought worst case I had pneumonia but I never dreamed of anything like this. On October 5,1999, after cat scans, biopsies, etc. I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. To this date it only has affected my lungs. I was told that no one knows the cause of sarcoidosis but after reading the article from Prezant, I believe something I came in contact with at a fire scene caused this. I had 14 years with fighting fires with the last 9 with Springfield. I was always at one of two busy stations and have fought many fires. In Springfield, we were given physicals when we started and every five years afterwards including chest x-ray. I never had an abnormal chest x-ray until the one in 1999. I had normal chest x-rays in 1991,1994 and 1996. Any comments can be sent via e-mail M.Steenstra@worldnet.att.net Thanks!