No effect of high-dose inhaled steroids in pulmonary sarcoidosis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Objective

To evaluate whether inhaled steroids in high doses might be of therapeutic value in pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Design

Randomized, double blind and placebo controlled parallel study.

Setting

The out-patient clinic of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Subjects

Twenty-one untreated patients (17 males, 4 females, median age 33 years, range 21-65) and eight patients treated with systemic prednisolone. All patients had biopsy proven pulmonary sarcoidosis radiological stage I-III.

Interventions

Treatment with either inhaled budesonide 1.2 mg day-1-2.0 mg day-1 (n = 9) or placebo (n = 12) for 12 months.

Main outcome measures

Clinical (cough, chest pain, dyspnoea) and paraclinical variables (chest X-ray, gallium scintigraphy, pulmonary function tests, and biochemical markers of disease activity: blood leukocytes, lymphocytes, serum (S-) angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), S-1,25-OH-cholecalciferol, plasma (P-) calcium, P-immunoglobulins) were recorded before treatment, every three months during treatment, and 6 months after treatment had been discontinued.

Results

There were no significant differences between the recorded variables in the budesonide and placebo groups. In general, a regression of disease activity was observed in both groups. Two patients in the treatment group, treated with 2.0 mg budesonide/day, and two in the placebo group had progression in disease and were put on systemic steroids.

Conclusion

Inhaled budesonide in doses of 1.2-2.0 mg day-1 had no recognizable therapeutic effect on pulmonary sarcoidosis.