Gas exchange across abnormal interstitial tissue in pulmonary sarcoidosis--results of therapy.

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous, inflammatory disorder that can affect any organ in the body. The interstitium of the lung is a frequent area of involvement. This tissue comprises the alveolar-capillary unit of the lung with the pulmonary vasculature affected either on a primary or (usually) secondary basis. Measurements of gas exchange across this tissue should be expected to parallel disease activity. Five patients with histologic and/or radiographic evidence of interstitial lung disease were evaluated by serial exercise studies over time with respect to therapy. Preexercise and postexercise values were obtained, for exercise is felt to make these measurements more sensitive to changes in gas transfer. Good correlations were seen in all five patients. Exercise studies are concluded to be of value in patients with interstitial lung disease due to sarcoidosis and may prove to be a sensitive form of follow-up during therapeutic intervention.