A proposed solution to the clinical assessment of sarcoidosis: The sarcoidosis three-dimensional assessment instrument (STAI)

SummaryThe clinical assessment of sarcoidosis has been confounded by its inexact diagnostic criteria, multiorgan involvement, and effects of therapy. In this manuscript an instrument, the Sarcoidosis Three-Dimensional Assessment Instrument (STAI), is proposed to assess the clinical state of sarcoidosis. The instrument examines each organ involved with sarcoidosis separately. For each organ, the instrument contains three axes: involvement, severity, and activity. Involvement is based upon a previously described instrument that has been updated to capture involvement of more organs and to account for advances in diagnostic testing for sarcoidosis. Severity is based both on the decline from normal capacity as well as physical and psychosocial limitation. Disease activity takes into account changes in organ function as well as changes in therapy. Although this instrument is presently not validated, it is hoped that it will undergo study as it rationally accounts for several problems of previous assessment instruments.