Author Archives: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Patients with sarcoidosis who are exposed to glucocorticoids have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis and experiencing bone fractures, according to the results of a new study. However, people without sarcoidosis who receive glucocorticoid treatment have a similar risk, suggesting it is not the disease itself that increases this risk,…

Sarcoidosis may cause anomalies in the esophagus and subsequently lead to  difficulties in swallowing, according to a new case report. The physicians who conducted the study say involvement of the esophagus in sarcoidosis is “extremely rare” — with only 24 such cases documented to date — but that patients must…

Researchers working in sarcoidosis may submit project proposals to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Foundation/Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Research Fellowship in Sarcoidosis, which will award one $80,000 grant ($40,000 a year for two years) to a principal investigator who is conducting research in this disease. The two-year grant starts in…

The prevalence of sarcoidosis may be associated with the presence of high levels of certain chemical elements in the environment, a new study suggests. More studies are warranted to confirm the possible link to pollution. The study was published in the journal PLoS One in an article titled “Sarcoidosis in an…

Treatment with cibinetide (ARA 290) was shown to promote significant corneal nerve and improve pain and functional capacity in a clinical trial with sarcoidosis patients. The trial was conducted by Araim Pharmaceuticals. Results of the trial were published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, in an…

Sarcoidosis patients are more susceptible to hospitalization than the general population, especially female patients, according to results of a new study. More studies are warranted to understand the reasons why women with sarcoidosis seem to be particularly disposed to hospitalization. The study, “Hospitalization Among Patients With Sarcoidosis: A Population-Based Cohort…

Treatment with repository corticotropin (RCI), such as Acthar Gel, may protect the lungs from prednisone-induced damage and improve the outcome in patients with symptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis, according to results of a clinical trial (NCT02188017). The findings, “Repository Corticotropin For Chronic Pulmonary Sarcoidosis.” were published in the journal Lung.

Most patients with sarcoidosis have a similar risk of cancer compared to the general population, but some patients with more a more advanced form of the disease may have twice the risk of developing blood cancer, according to results from recent research. The study, “Risk Of Malignancy Among Patients With…

Infliximab effectively treats neurosarcoidosis, but patients may see their disease return (relapse) over time, according to results of a new study. The study, “Long-Term Outcomes Of Refractory Neurosarcoidosis Treated With Infliximab,” was published in the Journal of Neurology. Neurosarcoidosis (sarcoidosis affecting the nervous system) may be resistant to…

Three patients developed subcutaneous sarcoidosis in their arm after receiving an injection, but symptoms disappeared after treatment with minocycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, according to a research report. James Abbott and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine wrote the report, “Isolated Subcutaneous Sarcoid-Like Granulomatous Inflammation Occurring At Injection…