Pulmonary Sarcoidosis and Immune Dysregulation: A Pilot Study on Possible Correlation
Rossella Cifaldi,
Francesco Salton,
Paola Confalonieri,
Liliana Trotta,
Mariangela Barbieri,
Luca Ruggero,
Gianmaria Valeri,
Riccardo Pozzan,
Rossana Della Porta,
Metka Kodric,
Elisa Baratella,
Mattia Bellan,
Selene Lerda,
Michael Hughes,
Marco Confalonieri,
Maria Assunta Cova,
Ilaria Gandin,
Lucrezia Mondini,
Barbara Ruaro
Affiliations
Rossella Cifaldi
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Francesco Salton
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Paola Confalonieri
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Liliana Trotta
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Mariangela Barbieri
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Luca Ruggero
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Gianmaria Valeri
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Riccardo Pozzan
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Rossana Della Porta
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Metka Kodric
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Elisa Baratella
Department of Radiology, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Mattia Bellan
Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO), 28100 Novara, Italy
Selene Lerda
Management Specialization School, University of Milan, 20149 Milano, Italy
Michael Hughes
Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester & Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M6 8HD, UK
Marco Confalonieri
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Maria Assunta Cova
Department of Radiology, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Ilaria Gandin
Biostatistics Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Lucrezia Mondini
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Barbara Ruaro
Pulmonology Unit, Department of Medical Surgical and Healt Sciencies, Hospital of Cattinara, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Background: Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by an altered inflammatory response. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether immune system alterations detected by lymphocyte typing in peripheral blood correlate with the severity of sarcoidosis, calculated according to two separate severity scores proposed by Wasfi in 2006 and Hamzeh in 2010. Materials and Methods: Eighty-one patients were recruited, and clinical data and laboratory tests at the time of diagnosis were obtained in order to assess the severity index score and investigate any statistically significant correlation with the cytofluorimetry data. Results: Our data demonstrated that none of the two scores show an association with the level of total lymphocytes or lymphocyte subclasses. Limitations: First of all, the sample taken into consideration is small. The assessment was performed only at disease onset and not during the disease. Furthermore, the severity scores do not take into account disease activity (measured by PET/CT or gallium scintigraphy). Conclusions: Lymphocyte subpopulation values at the time of diagnosis do not appear to correlate with disease severity at onset.
