Recurrence of sarcoidosis after heart or lung transplantation: the importance of long-term follow-up

Website publication date: 14 October 2026.
Date of the original paper: 9 October 2026 (online publication)

Introduction
A new retrospective cohort study published in Rheumatology investigated whether sarcoidosis recurs after heart or lung transplantation and what such cases look like. The topic is important because transplantation removes a severely damaged organ but may not remove the predisposition to systemic disease.

Extended summary
The authors analysed patients who were followed after heart or lung transplantation for possible recurrence of sarcoidosis. In the cohort, recurrence was recorded after both lung and heart transplantation, and it was more frequent in the heart transplant group. In one heart recipient, recurrence was described in both transplanted and non-transplanted tissues.

The results are important because they show that recurrence can occur despite standard immunosuppression after transplantation. In patients with relevant clinical or imaging signs, collaboration between the transplant team and specialists familiar with sarcoidosis is therefore needed. The fact that the disease has recurred does not mean that the same will happen to every transplant recipient.

What is new
The study directly compares recurrence of sarcoidosis after heart and lung transplantation in a single clinical cohort. Its practical contribution is the emphasis on long-term surveillance and the fact that standard immunosuppression does not completely rule out the possibility of recurrence.

Why it matters to patients and doctors
For patients and families, the text explains why follow-up appointments are necessary even after transplantation and why new symptoms or findings should not automatically be attributed solely to the post-transplant period. For doctors, the study provides an additional reason to retain the possibility of sarcoidosis recurrence in the differential diagnosis, alongside other, more common causes of complications.

Limitations of the evidence
This is a retrospective single-centre study, so its results cannot be directly applied to all transplant programmes and populations. The number of patients with recurrence is limited, and risk assessment may depend on patient selection, the type of transplant, the duration of follow-up and local practice. The study shows associations and frequency within the cohort but does not determine the best immunosuppressive regimen for an individual.

Conclusion
Sarcoidosis can recur after both heart and lung transplantation. Long-term follow-up and collaboration between transplant, respiratory and cardiology teams are important for timely recognition of possible recurrence, without drawing conclusions independently on the basis of a single finding.

Source and bibliographic details
Pickell S, Jayaram L, Yuhan L, Baker MC. Recurrence of sarcoidosis after heart and lung transplantation: a retrospective single-center cohort study. Rheumatology. Published online 9 October 2026. DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keag567. PMID: 42853655.
Source: https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/advance-article/doi/10.1093/rheumatology/keag567/8898739

Medical note
This text is for information only and does not replace a medical examination, diagnosis or individual advice. After transplantation, every new symptom or finding should be assessed by the transplant team; immunosuppressive treatment must not be changed independently.

Suggested illustration
A schematic timeline of “before transplantation – transplantation – long-term follow-up”, with separate heart and lung icons; without depicting a real patient.
Accessible image description: “Schematic depiction of long-term follow-up for possible recurrence of sarcoidosis after heart or lung transplantation.”