Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Smoking causes about 5 Million deaths worldwide every year. Prevention and cessation of smoking should therefore be one of the most important public health priorities. ⋯ The continuous empathic support and motivation by the family doctor is however the most important factor. Even a small advance within this step-by-step strategy can be considered as a success which will be followed by further progress.
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Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disorder of unknown origin, which can involve multiple organs. However the lymph node and lung manifestations dominate. Most frequent symptoms are cough, fatigue, dyspnea and exercise limitations. ⋯ In chronic disease corticosteroids are effective in the majority of patients. Other immunosuppressives, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory agents are reserved for patients with severe side-effects to steroid-therapy or for patients, who cannot maintained on reasonable low doses of steroids. Lung transplantation is an option for life-threatening cases failing medical therapy.