and the Dutch Study Group on Pulmonary Sarcoidosis Inhaled budesonide in pulmonary sarcoidosis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

ABSTRACT: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we assessed the efficacy of inhaled budesonide on the course of newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis and whether budesonide treatment could postpone oral corticosteroid treatment. We evaluated: 1) symptoms; 2) chest radiography; 3) angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in serum; and 4) lung function. Patients with histologically confirmed pulmonary sarcoidosis with chest radio-graphic stages I, II or III, and with an abnormal lung function (inspiratory vital capacity (IVC) <79 % of predicted or transfer factor of the lungs for carbon monox-ide (TL,CO) <77 % pred) were included. Patients with radiographic stage II or III but with normal lung function were included when more than 20 % of the total cell population in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was lymphocytes. Forty seven patients received placebo or budesonide (1.2 mg) once daily via a Nebuhaler for 6 months, followed by 6 months without treatment. Based on pre-determined criteria, 11 patients were excluded during the blind treatment period as they needed oral prednisone: seven (28%) patients in the placebo group (n=25