Several retrospective studies from across North America, India and Japan
sought to investigate an association between appropriate therapy and
patient characteristics in those with CS(12,7,13,14,11,15,16). Many of
these single-centre studies were pulled together in a meta-analysis by
Azoulay et al(5), showing that of the 464 participants, 39% of CS
patients received appropriate therapy – a value significantly higher
when compared to other studies focusing on non-sarcoid related heart
disease, and a similar value to that of a recent UK-based single-centre
study where they showed rates of appropriate therapy were 32.7%.(17)
Variables that were identified in this study, alongside other presently
discussed studies, fit into three broad categories which will be
discussed in greater detail below:
- Patient characteristics
- Ventricular characteristics
- Imaging findings