Focus on Sarcoidosis
Genomic biomarkers in chronic beryllium disease and sarcoidosis
Background Previous gene expression studies have identified genes IFNγ, TNFα, RNase 3, CXCL9, and CD55 as potential biomarkers for sarcoidosis and/or chronic beryllium disease (CBD). We hypothesized that differential expression of these genes could function as diagnostic biomarkers for sarcoidosis and CBD, and prognostic biomarkers for sarcoidosis. Study Design/Methods We performed RT-qPCR on whole blood samples from CBD (n = 132), beryllium sensitized (BeS) (n = 109), and sarcoidosis (n = 99) cases and non-diseased controls (n = 97) to determine differential expression of target genes.Cardiac sarcoidosis: Diagnosis confirmation by bronchoalveolar lavage and lung biopsy
The diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is difficult to ascertain due to the insensitivity of endomyocardial biopsy. Current diagnostic criteria require a positive endomyocardial biopsy or extra-cardiac biopsy with clinical features suggestive of CS. Common tests for diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis include bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), lung and mediastinal lymph node (MLN) biopsies. Our objective was to determine the diagnostic utility of these tests in patients with suspected CS and without prior history of pulmonary involvement.
