サルコイドーシスにおける血清 Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 値, 血清 Lysozyme 量測定の臨床的意義―特に, 予後およびステロイド剤に対する反応性―に関する検討

抄録

Sarcoidosis patients were divided into three groups by serum level of ACE and LZM, respectively. The relationship between serum levels of ACE and LZM and the clinical course of sarcoidosis were investigated and the following results were obtained.
1. The levels of ACE and LZM are not indicators of spontaneous reduction speed as judged by chest X-ray changes. Levels of ACE and LZM were determined in 47 untreated patients divided into three groups. At three, six, twelve, eighteen, and twenty-four months following ACE and LZM determination, X-rays were taken and changes were observed. Groups were compared by spontaneous reduction and disappearance of X-ray shadow. No relationship was observed between serum levels and spontaneous reduction.
2. Sarcoidosis patients with elevated levels of ACE and LZM showed a high response to steroid treatment.
Steroid treatment was performed in 26 patients who had been categorized into three groups according to levels of ACE and LZM. Prednisolone in doses of 60mg was administered on alternate days for three months and patient response to steroids was evaluated by observation of changes in X-ray findings. Patients with highly elevated levels of ACE and LZM showed high or medium response and most patients with normal levels showed low or no response to steroid.