The importance of cortisol level in differential diagnostic between lung tuberculosis and sarcoidosis

<b>Introduction:</b> Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis represent considerable weight of lung disseminated process, which happens more often nowadays. The main problem is to do differential diagnostic between these diseases. <b>The aim of the study:</b> to study the level of cortisol in the differential diagnosis of lung sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. <b>Methods:</b> Blood cortisol level from 56 patients was analyzed with firstly revealed lung sarcoidosis II stage and 47 patients with firstly revealed lung disseminated tuberculosis. <b>Results:</b> The median of cortisol of patients with lung sarcoidosis was 411 nmol/L (Q1 - 259,5; Q3 - 615,25 nmol/L). The median of cortisol of patients with disseminated tuberculosis was 1039 nmol/L (Q-745; Q3-1370 nmol/L). From groups formed with lung tuberculosis and sarcoidosis it was revealed that both men and women in the first group had a higher level of cortisol than those in the second one. <b>Conclusion:</b> Patients with lung sarcoidosis from the beginning have statistically lower level of cortisol than those with disseminated tuberculosis.