Demographic features:
(1) Skin lesions tend to occur in females more often than males.
(2) Skin lesions tend to occur in Blacks more often than Whites.
Clinical findings:
(1) Sarcoid skin ulcers may be found anywhere on the body but are more common on the lower extremities.
(2) The ulceration may be triggered by relatively minor trauma.
(3) The ulcers tend to be chronic and nonhealing.
(4) The presence of other features of sarcoidosis is extremely helpful in making the diagnosis.
A biopsy of the skin lesion will show noncaseating granulomas. The biopsy may be a false negative if the biopsy is inadequate.
Superinfection of the ulcer by Staphylococcus or other bacteria may result in misdiagnosis.
Exclusions of other conditions are essential for making the diagnosis"
(1) other causes for granulomatous inflammation (mycobacteria, fungi, parasite, foreign body)
(2) other causes of chronic leg ulcers (ischemic, venous, other)
