ABSTRACT
Serum angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) was estimated in 18 cases of sarcoidosis, 15 patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and in 12 normal healthy individuals. SACE was elevated in the patients suffering from sarcoidosis. (33.2 +/- 12.9). SACE values for the pulmonary tuberculosis patients were 18.8 +/- 7.9 and those for the normal healthy individuals were 17.1 +/- 4.7. Compared to pulmonary tuberculosis and normal healthy individuals, the SACE levels were significantly elevated (P < 0.01) in sarcoidosis patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Lung Diseases/blood , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/blood , Sarcoidosis/blood , Spectrophotometry , Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant/blood , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/bloodABSTRACT
More than 1700 estimations of serum angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) were undertaken, mostly in respiratory disorders, to assess its value as a specific and/or a sensitive indicator of different diseases. Though highest levels were found in lepromatous leprosy consistently, it was also found almost always elevated in active stages of sarcoidosis. Since it is raised in a variety of respiratory disorders, it is not a specific diagnostic test. It is, however, a fairly sensitive index of disease activity in sarcoidosis whether on treatment or not. Sudden elevation, after a prolonged period of low or normal values may indicate relapse in sarcoidosis.
Subject(s)
Adult , Asthma/blood , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Lung Diseases/blood , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/blood , Sarcoidosis/blood , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/bloodABSTRACT
Serum angiotensin converting enzyme [SACE] activity was measured in 275 patients suspected of sarcoidosis and compared with 114 normal controls and 30 tuberculosis cases. The mean SACE value, plus or minus the standard deviation [X +/- SD], in the normal control group [108 of 114 cases] was 35.56 +/- 10.5; while in the sarcoidosis group [82 proven cases out of 275] it was 77.76 +/- 21.8. The SACE range in the tuberculosis group [29 proven cases out of 30] was 24.58 +/- 8.35. In 14 patients with sarcoidosis who were treated with steroids or showed spontaneous remission, ACE activity was repeated at an interval of two to 10 months. A reduction of up to 50% of ACE activity was noticed. In 10 cases with normal ACE activity however, with highly suspicious biopsy specimens, follow-up measurements in 2-4 months revealed an increase in ACE activity. Considering that the clinical, paraclinical, and histopathological features of sarcoidosis and tuberculosis are often overlapping, we conclude that the SACE assay can be a valuable aid in distinguishing between the two diseases