[Changes in serum carboxypeptidase N in patients with lung sarcoidosis]

Serum carboxypeptidases N (E.C.3.4.17.3) were determined spectrophotometrically in 39 patients with untreated pulmonary sarcoidosis (radiographic stages I-II). Carboxypeptidases N were, due to variable substrate affinity, subdivided into N1 (CN1) and N2 (CN2). The control group consisted of 52 healthy persons. In addition, haemodynamics, chemical pathology, and lung function tests were evaluated. Among controls both CN1 and CN2 were slightly increased in females when compared to males. Patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis had significantly higher CN1 and CN2 activities (P less than 0.005) than the control group. Neither among healthy probands nor among patients with sarcoidosis were there positive correlations between haemodynamics, chemical pathology and lung function data on the one hand and CN1 and CN2 on the other. However, a linear correlation between CN1 and CN2 could be established in both groups (P less than 0.001).