title: Cytokine modulators in the treatment of sarcoidosis.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous lung disease in which several cytokines play a pivotal pathogenetic role. Steroid-resistant disease can be treated with immunosuppressive drugs, antimalarial therapies and recently with anti-TNFα agents. The use of biological agents for the treatment of sarcoidosis springs from research into the pathogenesis of the disease and also from the experience of rheumatologists with other chronic inflammatory diseases. Rituximab, golimumab and ustekinumab are cytokine modulators, useful in the treatment of immunoinflammatory disorders, for which randomized trials to evaluate safety and efficacy in sarcoidosis are not yet available. Novel anticytokine drugs administered alone or in association may offer a new approach to treatment of the disease. This review focuses on recent advances in anti-TNFα agents and cytokine modulators for the treatment of sarcoidosis and their therapeutic prospects.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Diseases Section, Department of Clinical Medicine and Immunology Sciences, Siena University, Le Scotte Hospital, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy. bargagli2@gmail.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bargagli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rottoli
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000069549:Ustekinumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069283:Rituximab; D013792:Thalidomide; C529000:golimumab; D000069549:Ustekinumab; D010431:Pentoxifylline