title: Sarcoidosis, role of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and other biologic agents, past, present, and future concepts.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor is a potent cytokine involved in the inflammatory process of many diseases. Agents that block tumor necrosis factor have been used in the treatment of various immune-mediated diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn disease, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Sarcoidosis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology characterized by the formation of noncaseating granulomas. Tumor necrosis factor plays a major role in the inflammatory process seen in sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis therapies with activity against tumor necrosis factor and specific anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies have been used with variable success. The long-term safety and efficacy of such therapies are yet to be determined in well-designed clinical trials with long-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Section of Rheumatology & Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. nsweiss@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu <nsweiss@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu>
authors.forename: Nadera J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Sweiss
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Baughman
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068800:Etanercept