Active clinical trials for "Sarcoidosis"

PET scanning (positron emission tomography) is a well-established technique used to identify areas of interest within the body. It involves injecting a radioactive tracer which highlights abnormal areas. It has recently been combined with CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning to more accurately identify abnormalities within the heart. Cardiac sarcoidosis, a condition which causes scarring and inflammation within the heart muscle, is of particular interest. The study makes use of hybrid PET/MR scanning using a designated scanner which enables PET scanning combined with MRI scanning. This will allow imaging of abnormal areas within the heart in this condition alongside treatment regimens in a way which hasn't been done before. If successful, this imaging method will play a key role in diagnosing, quantifying and monitoring these conditions. All participants will undergo PET scanning, where a radioactive tracer is injected into a vein before the scan. The radioactive substance only lasts for a short time and is safe, passed out of the body in urine. The scan will be performed twice; once before treatment and once after treatment has been established. A cohort of healthy volunteers will undergo scanning in exactly the same way to enable us to compare the results with hearts of people who don't have cardiac sarcoidosis.

The investigators aim to determine the optimal number of measurements required for multiple-breath-washout derived lung function parameters in adults with pulmonary disease as well as in healthy controls

Rationale: Endosonography with mediastinal/ hilar nodal sampling is the test of choice to diagnose sarcoidosis stage I and II - in case tissue verification of noncaseating granulomas is indicated. However, the optimal endosonographic approach (endobronchial or transoesophageal) for mediastinal nodal sampling is under discussion. Secondly, which needle size or type provides optimal tissue sample quality for granuloma detection is unknown. The novel 25 Gauge (G) beveled ProCore needle, allows tissue acquisition of small core biopsies in addition to cytological aspirates. Hypotheses: Esophageal ultrasound guided (EUS-B) sampling of intrathoracic lymph nodes has a 14% higher granuloma detection rate compared to endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) guided nodal sampling in patients with suspected sarcoidosis stage I/II. 25G ProCore needles provide superior sample quality compared to conventional 22G needles in patients with suspected sarcoidosis stage I/II. Study design: Investigator initiated, randomized clinical trial. Setting: International, multicenter (university and general hospitals) Study population: Consecutive patients with a clinical and radiologic suspicion of sarcoidosis stage I or II and an indication for tissue verification of non-caseating granulomas are eligible for inclusion. Intervention: EBUS vs EUS-B, simultaneously comparing the standard vs novel ProCore needles. Main study endpoints: The granuloma detection rate of endobronchial (EBUS) guided sampling of intrathoracic lymph nodes compared to esophageal (EUS-B using the EBUS scope) guided sampling in patients with suspected sarcoidosis stage I/II. Sample quality of conventional 22G vs. 25G ProCore needles in patients with suspected sarcoidosis stage I/II.

The distinction between Tuberculosis disease (TB), a worldwide infective granulomatosis requiring long-term antibiotic treatment, and sarcoïdosis, a rare granulomatous disease successfully treated with high dose steroids is not straightforward and may delay the treatment choice by the physician. The goal was to evaluate prospectively and consecutively the presence of epithelioid granulomas in salivary glands biopsy of patients with TB.

This project is designed to address the following hypothesis: Distinct patterns in lung microbiome are characteristic of sarcoidosis phenotypes and reflected in changes in systemic inflammatory responses as measured by peripheral changes in gene transcription. The Specific Aims are: To identify peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression patterns that characterize distinct sarcoidosis phenotypes. To determine whether patterns in the lung microbiome are associated with sarcoidosis severity and disease phenotypes To correlate mRNA and microRNA expression patterns in sarcoidosis affected organs with changes in microbiome, clinical parameters and PBMC gene expression patterns To integrate clinical, transcriptomic, and microbiome data to identify novel molecular phenotypes in sarcoidosis.

This is a study that seeks to characterize data obtained from patients with a variety of lung diseases using ultrasound signals obtained from the lung tissue. A standard ultrasound instrument in the doppler mode (not the imaging mode used in examination of pregnant women for instance) is placed on the chest wall and the unique software the investigators have developed analyzes the signal reflected back from within the lung. On the basis of pilot studies performed previously the investigators expect to receive different signals from different diseases. The investigators seek to further characterize these signals to enable accurate diagnosis of different lung diseases using our technology.

To determine if hereditary susceptibility predisposes African Americans to sarcoidosis and to identify sarcoidosis susceptibility genes in African Americans.

Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic disorder, meaning that it can involve any organ in the body and that its clinical presentation is highly variable. In 90% of all sarcoidosis cases the lungs are affected. It is difficult to give a concise definition of sarcoidosis due to the fact that its exact cause is still unknown. Consequently, diagnosing the disease is also rather difficult. Up till now, sarcoidosis is generally diagnosed by using general clinical methods to evaluate the status of the lung including a chest X-ray, lung biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). However, some of these methods are considered to be rather invasive and, even more important, non-conclusive. Therefore, the current study has been designed to evaluate the use of a new technique, called SELDI-TOF mass spectrophotometry, for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. This technique enables the analysis of all enzymes present in the blood of sarcoidosis patients which may hopefully lead to creating a disease-specific protein-profile that may facilitate the recognition of sarcoidosis. Moreover, these results will be compared with other currently used laboratory parameters.

One study has suggested a connection between an infection with Rickettsia species and sarcoidosis finding molecular evidence of rickettsial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in two patients. Another study found no antibodies in twenty Swedish patients with sarcoidosis. This study will further enhance the subject by three different approaches in Danish patients. The purpose of this study is to find serological and molecular evidence of an infection with Rickettsia species in Danish patients with sarcoidosis.

The purpose of this study is to assess the lung cells of healthy volunteers and patients with stage II and III pulmonary sarcoidosis for pathogen specific memory immunity and gene expression patterns.