PREFACE Preface A wide range of acute and chronic pulmonary disorders are capable of diffusely affecting the lung parenchyma with variable amounts of inflammation and fibrosis. A variety of agents and clinical conditions have been associated with interstitial lung disorders. Sarcoidosis is one of the most common causes of idiopathic interstitial lung disease. Clinical presentation can range from asymptomatic to severe respiratory symptoms. Sarcoidosis is considered as a multisystemic disease and chest physicians are frequently involved in the evaluation and management of this disease. The treatment of sarcoidosis ranges from nothing to complex immunosuppressive agents. Given the range of effective therapies for sarcoidosis, appropriate treatment is important. This issue of the European Respiratory Monograph provides the reader with the current status of our understanding of sarcoidosis. Different aspects of the multisystem involvement of this disease condition are discussed by experts in the field of sarcoidosis. Their contributions offer the reader new insights, ideas and perspectives in the management of sarcoidosis. As Editor in Chief of the European Respiratory Monograph, I am most grateful to all the authors for gladly contributing and I am deeply indebted to Urich Costabel and Marjolein Drent, the guest editors of this issue, for their cooperation. E.F.M. Wouters Editor in Chief Eur Respir Mon, 2005, 32, viii. Printed in UK - all rights reserved. Copyright ERS Journals Ltd 2005 European Respiratory Monograph ISSN 1025-448x. ISBN 1-904097-22-7. viii