Clinical diagnosis of ocular sarcoidosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of raised serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels in making a clinical diagnosis of ocular sarcoidosis in patients with intraocular inflammation, compatible with sarcoidosis, in whom tissue biopsy is either not practical or not possible.


METHODS
The ocular manifestations and clinical course of 22 patients with intraocular inflammation compatible with sarcoidosis and elevated ACE level (including 11 patients with abnormal chest radiograph) were compared with those of a group of 18 patients with intraocular inflammation due to biopsy-proven sarcoidosis. The mean follow-up (+/- SD) was 4.5 +/- 3.4 years in the presumed ocular sarcoidosis group and 7.8 +/- 5.3 years in the biopsy-proven sarcoidosis group.


RESULTS
There was no difference in sex, race and age distribution between the two groups. No statistically significant difference could be found between the ocular manifestations seen in each group. The most common finding was retinal vasculitis with panuveitis, seen in 86.4% of the presumed ocular sarcoidosis group and in 83.3% of the biopsy-proven sarcoidosis group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that intraocular inflammation compatible with sarcoidosis in conjunction with raised ACE levels would be accordant with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis in patients in whom histological diagnosis is either not practical or not possible.
Stavrou
P
P
Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, UK.
Linton
S
S
Young
D W
DW
Murray
P I
PI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015864:Panuveitis / Q000209:etiology; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood*; D012169:Retinal Vein; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A