[Angiotensin-converting enzyme in patients with temporal arteritis].

It is well documented in the literature that patients with active sarcoidosis exhibit elevated serum ACE activity. Since both temporal arteritis and sarcoidosis represent granulomatous inflammatory conditions, this study was undertaken to determine serum ACE activity in patients with temporal arteritis as well as in a control group. The serum ACE levels in patients with temporal arteritis were significantly lower than in the controls. Hence, granulomatous inflammation in temporal arteritis seems to differ radically from the granulomatous inflammation present in sarcoidosis. Serum ACE activity was increasing during cortisone treatment of patients with temporal arteritis, but dropped again as soon as cortisone therapy was discontinued.