Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Infection from the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes is found frequently and at high rates in the lymph nodes of sarcoidosis patients and may contribute to the formation of granulomas, a small study suggests. These results also provide another piece of evidence linking P. acnes bacteria to sarcoidosis. The study, “Propionibacterium acnes-derived insoluble immune…

A small study of a group of patients in Canada who were showing the first signs of sarcoidosis suggests that isolated cardiac sarcoidosis, which refers to cardiac involvement without the disease clinically apparent elsewhere, may be rarer than previously reported. The study, “How common is isolated cardiac sarcoidosis? Extra-cardiac and…

Researchers are developing a new positron emission tomography (PET) scanner capable of imaging the whole body that promises to significantly increase imaging sensitivity, advancing the technology for how diseases such as sarcoidosis are diagnosed and treated. “It will offer the ability to detect throughout the whole body the location of…

Male sarcoidosis patients and those who use immunosuppressive agents — particularly Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) — are more likely to get severe infections than women with the disease and those who don’t take such medications, a French study suggests. The study “Severe infections in sarcoidosis: Incidence, predictors and long-term outcome in a cohort of…

The bacterium Propionibacterium acnes may cause ocular sarcoidosis, as researchers have detected high levels of the pathogen in retinal granulomas of patients with the condition. These findings suggest that new therapies for the disease may include antibiotics targeting the infection. The study, “Immunohistochemical Detection of Propionibacterium acnes in the…

Ohio State University researchers have launched a clinical trial to investigate whether nicotine patches can help treat patients with sarcoidosis. The study (NCT02265874), a collaboration between the university and the Cleveland Clinic, currently is recruiting participants. Smokers who want to quit often use nicotine patches, which slowly release nicotine…

Japan’s aging population may explain why researchers there are finding lower rates of spontaneous resolution of pulmonary sarcoidosis, according to a study published in the journal Respirology. The study is titled, “Resolution rate of pulmonary sarcoidosis and its related…

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy, alone or combined with infliximab, may significantly ease symptoms of sarcoidosis-associated small fiber neuropathy (SSFN), according to a retrospective analysis study. The report, “Sarcoidosis-associated small fiber neuropathy in a large cohort: Clinical aspects and response to IVIG and anti-TNF alpha treatment” was published…

MicroRNAs encased in small vesicles (exosomes) present in blood circulation may help identify sarcoidosis patients at risk of developing cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). The study “Exosomal MicroRNA for Detection of Cardiac Sarcoidosis” was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM). “CS is…

Three cases of cutaneous sarcoidosis and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the same patients highlight the need for doctors to be vigilant when sarcoidosis patients develop new, unusual skin lesions, according to a case study. The research, “Sarcoidosis and squamous cell carcinoma: a connection documented in a case series of…