Rickettsial Genesis to Sarcoidosis in Denmark

Statens Serum Institut

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sarcoidosis; Rickettsia Infections

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00326534

2006-41-6575

KF 01 303797

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full description

The study has three approaches to the subject:

1. A serological survey of rickettsial immunoglobin G (IgG)-antibodies in 50 patients with sarcoidosis compared to 50 blood donors without sarcoidosis.
2. An archival study using pre-existing lymph node biopsies, where immunohistochemical analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction will be applied to samples from 50 patients with sarcoidosis and compared to 50 patients without sarcoidosis and 10 patients with tuberculosis.
3. A prospective study using bronchoscopically obtained samples from 20 patients with sarcoidosis, compared to 20 patients without sarcoidosis. The study applies the same techniques as the second study, but enhancing the information from the patients.

Enrollment: 36 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Referred to fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the department either because of sarcoidosis, hemoptysis, chronic cough, or cancer suspicion

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant patients
• Patients under the age of 18
• Patients without consent
• Patients with a registered wish of not having their samples used for research

Trial design

36 participants in 2 patient groups

Controls

Description:

Patients without sarcoidosis, but requiring a fiberoptic bronchoscopy

Sarcoidosis patients

Description:

Patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis