title: Serum activity of angiotensin converting enzyme and pulmonary radiography as prognostic criteria in sarcoidosis.
abstract: To compare the prognostic value of the serum concentration of angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) to that of pulmonary radiography, patients with mediastino-pulmonary sarcoidosis were followed over two years and then retrospectively placed in one of 2 groups, designated "cured" (CS) or "not cured" (NCS) on the basis of clinical and biologic criteria. The two groups were then compared with respect to the initial pulmonary radiologic image, and the initial SACE concentration. The initial SACE concentration (CS: 45.6 +/- 15.4 U . ml-1; NCS: 48.5 +/- 27.3 U . ml-1; means +/- SD) and the percentage of patients with elevated SACE (CS: 75%; NCS: 69%) did not differ significantly between the two groups; on the other hand, the percentage of patients with pulmonary nodules on their initial chest film was higher in the NCS group (50%) than in the CS group (21%; p less than 0.05). We conclude that pulmonary radiography is the more reliable prognostic criterion in mediastino-pulmonary sarcoidosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000201:enzymology; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A