title: Serum angiotensin--converting enzyme (SACE) in sarcoidosis and other granulomatous disorders.
abstract: Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) activity was significantly higher in 90 patients with sarcoidosis (55 +/- [S.D.] 23 nmol min-1 ml-1) than in 80 healthy controls (34 +/- 9 nmol min-1 ml-1). Steroid therapy modified SACE activity; 60 sarcoidosis patients who were not being treated with steroids had significantly higher enzyme activities (58 +/- 24 nmol min-1 ml-1) than 30 steroid-treated sarcoidosis patients (40 +/- 19 nmol min-1 ml-1). In 50% of the non-steroid treated sarcoidosis patients SACE activity was more than than 2 S.D. above the mean value for the controls. SACE activity was measured in 22 tuberculous patients (38 +/- 14 nmol min-1 ml-1), 20 leprosy patients (34 +/- 9 nmol min-1 ml-1), 31 with primary biliary cirrhosis (44 +/- 20 nmol min-1 ml-1), 26 with inflammatory bowel disease (31 +/- 9 nmol min-1 ml-1), eight with hepatic granulomatous disease, five with Hodgkin's disease, and two with schistosomiasis. The combined false-positive rate for these non-sarcoidosis patients was 10%. Serial SACE assays provide useful information on the course of sarcoidosis and response to steroid treatment.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood*; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A