The preliminary autopsy support suggests that Reggie did die of respiratory failure. He apparently had two respiratory problems – sarcoidosis and sleep apnea. Sleep apnea may have contributed to death
White had the disease, known as sarcoidosis, for several years, family spokesman Keith Johnson said Sunday. He described it as a respiratory ailment that affected White’s sleep.
On its Web site, the American Lung Association describes sarcoidosis as a disease characterized by the presence of small areas of inflamed cells that can attack any organ of the body but is most frequently found in the lungs.
The cause of the disease, which is most common among blacks and white northern Europeans, is not known.
Sleep apnea causes people to stop breathing repeatedly — in some cases, hundreds of times — during their sleep.
Sarcoidosis is a well known granulomatous lung disease. Patients with sarcoidosis can have severe lung disease. It leads to a decrease in total lung capacity. That combined with sleep apnea probably led to decrease blood oxygen. This in turn probably lead to an arrythmia and sudden death.
This death is likely unavoidable. Perhaps the lung disease was much more severe than we knew. This death is unfortunate but it appears understandable.
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4 Responses to More on Reggie White
Marc
December 28th, 2004 at 1:26 am
Can symptoms of sarcoidosis be caused by, or appear to be caused by a compromised immune system? It’s odd that many of the news reports of RW’s passing omitted all mention of the cause of his death. In light of his young age, it seems an extraordinary omission. Especially in the professional sports world, and with RW’s religious declarations, these omissions seem like a shadow of the unmentionable “GRID” [AIDS] of the 1980s.
Terry Kuchera
December 28th, 2004 at 11:28 pm
It is sad and shocking that so many would omit that sarcoid was the culprit of Reggie Whites Demise. Sarcoid is not a disease to be ashamed of people of all races ages and both sexes have. It is not a disease caused by sex drugs or doing anything wrong> It is not a disease where one should be ashamed of having contracted it. It is a disease where an unknown trigger allows the immune system to malfunction attacking ones own body with inflimation to the bodies vital ogins. As of late this disease is becomming more prevaliant. It is throught to have many different causes but none is known for sure. Out of all the studies one seems more feasible then others that is one that suggests that innoculations we get as children may cause the immune system to go awry attacking itself in a random spuradic way with unknown reasons for remissions that last from weeks to many years. Other studies suggest unknown bacterias for it can be seen that the immune disease is attacking an invisible agent in the bodys organs. Sarcoid appears to attack scar tissue more times then not suggesting that maybe the scar tissue is being rejected by the body and the immune system surrounds such trying to fight it off causing inflimation. What ever the cause it is a disease that needs to be brought into the public light not one to be hidden from public knowledge. Reggies family should be proud of the fact that his having this disease is bringing this disease into the public eye and maybe this will spark more interest in the scientific community causing more research to be done that can lead to a cure that can save others lives.
Rena Dixon
May 23rd, 2006 at 12:12 am
My name is Rena Dixon and my husband, Glenn Dixon passed away on January 31, 2006 of sarcoid of the heart. I think my husbands life could have been saved if he knew he had sarcoid of the heart. There my not be a cure but there are my things that can be done to prolong the life. My husband would had gone to the ends of the earth to get a heart transplant to save him. He loved life and he made a difference in many peoples lives. He ewill be dearly missed, but never forgotten.
de
September 15th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
i had sarcoid – for about 3 years, 30 years later my son step son has been dianosed with sarcoid, non one else livin in the house got it. i also got Boughams desease, “the devils grip.
Doctor say i don’t have it, but i am tired all the time, and have a lot of arthritis