Stage II or III Pulmonary Sarcoidosis Study

STUDY BASICS

Have you been diagnosed with stage II or III pulmonary sarcoidosis, have shortness of breath, and have not received prednisone or other sarcoidosis treatment within the last 3 months? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study to help compare an imaging procedure called high-resolution computed tomography against standard pulmonary function tests. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Pulmonary sarcoidosis is a rare disease in which tiny clusters of inflammatory cells called granulomas form in the lungs. Although many people with the disease do not have any symptoms, others may experience shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, and fatigue. Oral steroid medications such as prednisone and prednisolone are the most common treatment for people with symptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis. Pulmonary function tests that measure how well the lungs work are typically used to determine if treatments are helping, but these types of tests do not always provide accurate assessments. The purpose of this study is to help researchers find out if an imaging procedure called high-resolution computed tomography is better than standard pulmonary function tests for assessing if steroid treatment is working. High-resolution computed tomography is used for the diagnosis and assessment of many diseases and conditions, but is not typically used for pulmonary sarcoidosis patients receiving oral steroid therapy.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Ages 18 and up
• Diagnosed with stage II or III pulmonary sarcoidosis
• Have shortness of breath
• Have not received steroids or any other sarcoidosis treatment in the past three months

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participation involves an initial screening visit to find out if you are eligible to participate. If eligible after screening, participants will have 5 in-person study visits over 3-4 months and one follow-up phone call. Participants will take standard daily steroid treatments as specified by the study doctor as part of regular clinical care and will undergo tests and procedures including blood and urine collection, physical exam, electrocardiogram, and HIV testing. Participants will also undergo high-resolution computed tomography scanning and pulmonary function tests.