Researchers have uncovered a network of abnormally activated immune cells and fibroblasts — the primary active cell of connective tissue — within granulomas, the clumps of cells that cause sarcoidosis. The key players in granuloma formation include metabolically reprogrammed immune macrophages, immune T-helper (Th) cells producing pro-inflammatory molecules, and…
A clinical trial is testing whether a smartphone app called SPARC, which prompts users to perform meditative breathing exercises and contains disease-relevant education modules, can help ease fatigue and improve life quality for people with sarcoidosis. The study (NCT05230693), sponsored by the Medical University of South Carolina, is…
Findings of defects in the heart’s right ventricle, as assessed with an MRI scan, can predict the occurrence of cardiovascular events in people with confirmed or suspected cardiac sarcoidosis, a review study showed. Particularly, scarring in the right ventricle muscle was a “strong independent predictor” of sudden heart-related death,…
The Multidisciplinary Sarcoidosis Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine has joined as a founding member of the Global Sarcoidosis Alliance, an initiative led by the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR). The alliance has nearly 40 founding members, with the…
The European Commission (EC) has granted orphan drug designation to aTyr Pharma’s lead therapeutic candidate efzofitimod for treating sarcoidosis. Orphan drug status is granted to investigational therapies that show significant potential for treating chronic or life-threatening disease that affect no more than five in 10,000 people in the…
The pulmonary microbiota — the collection of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that live inside the lung in people — is less diverse in individuals with stable sarcoidosis than in their healthy peers, a new study suggests. Notably, this imbalance was more pronounced for fungi than for bacteria. In…
Off-label use of TNF-alpha inhibitors may help some people with hard-to-treat sarcoidosis ease their symptoms or prevent them from getting worse, according to a meta-analysis study. Data also showed that these inhibitors, particularly Remicade (infliximab), may work slightly better for patients who have symptoms of sarcoidosis…
Sarcoidosis led to thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), a rare blood disorder, and associated severe kidney damage and blood-related abnormalities in a 31-year-old man, a case study reported. This rare case emphasizes the importance of considering sarcoidosis in uncommon cases of multiple organ dysfunction, as well as early intervention by a…
Adalimumab — a medication that blocks the pro-inflammatory TNF-alpha protein — safely and effectively eased symptoms of cardiac sarcoidosis in seven adults, allowing them to reduce or discontinue their use of corticosteroids, a study reports. The therapy also promoted a rise in the number of lymphocytes, a type of…
People with sarcoidosis who live in neighborhoods lacking economic and social resources have lower lung function and faster lung function decline, a study in the U.S. and Canada revealed. Non-white patients were overrepresented in the group with greater disadvantage, suggesting how race and differences in socioeconomic status can lead…
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