[Secreted interleukin-2 receptor as a parameter of the activity of sarcoidosis]

Serum sIL-2-R levels were measured in 28 sarcoidosis patients at multiple time points before, during, and after therapy, with a mean follow-up time of 10.2 +/- 5.2 months, and the results compared with the clinical activity of the disease. Before therapy, 20 out of 24 episodes with active disease exhibited elevated levels of sIL-2-R (918 +/- 362 U/ml). In inactive disease after tapering off corticoid therapy the sIL-2-R levels were 453 +/- 274 U/ml. Disease activity under therapy also correlated with sIL-2-R serum levels. 23 out of 29 episodes with signs of activity under therapy had elevated sIL-2-R levels (808 +/- 409 U/ml). Only three of 28 patients in whom disease activity ceased after therapy had been initiated had raised sIL-2-R levels (mean: 401 +/- 140 U/ml). These results demonstrate that the activity of pulmonary sarcoidosis is reflected accurately by the serum levels of sIL-2-R, suggesting that the course of the disease can be monitored by this approach.