News

The first patient was recently enrolled in a Phase 4 trial to further evaluate the effectiveness of H.P. Acthar Gel as a therapy for pulmonary sarcoidosis, according to Mallinckrodt. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy for 19 different indications, including respiratory symptomatic…

This week marks the launch of the “7,000 Mile Rare Movement,” a nationwide effort to raise money for research into the 7,000 known rare diseases that afflict at least 30 million Americans. The campaign kicks off Feb. 1 and culminates with Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28. Organized by…

A recent observational study showed that extrathoracic disease has a high incidence in World Trade Center firefighters who developed sarcoidosis following the 9/11 attack in the United States. The study, “Clinical Course of Sarcoidosis in World Trade Center-Exposed Firefighters,” was published in the journal Chest. Last…

Scientists at the University of Manchester in England will look into the cause of sarcoidosis with the help of a £120,000 pound (about $166,750 U.S.) research funding grant awarded by the British Lung Foundation and SarcoidosisUK as part of a long-term commitment to finding a cure for the…

A new case report describes a sarcoidosis patient with pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas — and hypercalcemia, or high calcium levels. The study, “Hypercalcemic pancreatitis a rare presentation of sarcoidosis: A case report,” was published in the journal Medicine. Sarcoidosis is a complex disease with…

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…

The World Association for Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) and the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) have designated Temple Lung Center’s specialized sarcoidosis program as an official WASOG Sarcoidosis Clinic, one of only 27 such designations in the world. The WASOG Sarcoidosis Clinic designation recently…

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…

A large proportion of sarcoidosis patients live with severe chronic pain despite the heavy use of painkillers, including opioids, a recent survey found. In addition, pain considerably impacts their walking ability, sleep, and enjoyment of life. Based on the survey results, researchers argue that the nerve damage that causes…

Researchers found higher numbers of two species of bacteria in the lungs of patients with sarcoidosis, and call for further studies to better understand their importance in the development of the disease. The study, “Atopobium and Fusobacterium as novel candidates for sarcoidosis-associated microbiota,” was published in…