Correlation between disease activity, one-year prognosis, and angiotensin-converting enzyme in untreated sarcoidosis.

The correlation between S-angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) and disease activity was examined in 185 observation periods in 85 untreated sarcoidosis patients. An agreement between SACE and chest roentgenographic changes was found in 42% of the observations, although less frequently in patients with erythema nodosum. The most convenient interval between enzyme measurements seems to be 3 months in patients with active disease, but more frequent check-ups are advised in patients with erythema nodosum. In 24 patients followed for one year after diagnosis, SACE correlated fairly well to the clinical course, and the pattern of enzyme variation may be a prognostic indicator in sarcoidosis.