Decreased serpin C1 in extracellular vesicles predicts response to methotrexate treatment in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of discovery cohort of sarcoidosis patients with pulmonary treatment indication

Parameter		Prednisone treated group		Methotrexate treated group
Parameter		Non-responding (n = 8)	Responding (n = 8)	Non-responding (n = 8)	Responding (n = 8)
Age^a (years)		43.3 ± 6.7	37.4 ± 8.5	48.3 ± 7.0	52.6 ± 13.0
Male sex		5 (62.5)	5 (62.5)	5 (62.5)	5 (62.5)
Ever smoker		2 (25.0)	2 (25.0)	2 (25.0)	2 (25.0)
Caucasian		8 (100)	8 (100)	8 (100)	8 (100)
Lofgren syndrome		0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)	1 (12.5)	0 (0.0)
Scadding stage^b 0/I/II/III/IV		1/2/2/1/2 (12.5/25/25/12.5/25)	1/1/3/1/2 (12.5/12.5/37.5/12.5/25)	0/1/5/0/2 (0/12.5/62.5/0/25)	0/1/4/1/2 (0/12.5/50/12.5/25)
Lung function^b
	FVC (%)	94.5 ± 28.5	81.8 ± 24.2	102.7 ± 11.6	89.0 ± 21.8
	DLCO (%)	75.8 ± 25.0	66.1 ± 13.2	86.1 ± 12.6*	55.5 ± 13.1*
Extra-pulmonary involvement
	Lymph nodes	5 (62.5)	4 (50.0)	5 (62.5)	4 (50.0)
	Skin	0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)	0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)
	Liver	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)	0 (0.0)
	Spleen	1 (12.5)	1 (12.5)	1 (12.5)	0 (0.0)
	SFN	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)

Data is shown as whole numbers and percentages between brackets. Response to treatment was based on improvement in lung function (FVC %pred > 10% or DLCO %pred > 10%) after 6 months of treatment. Age, lung function, and biomarkers are shown as mean ± SD. ^aAge at time of blood withdrawal. ^blung function and scadding stage were measured before start of treatment. Scadding stages: 0 = Normal chest radiograph; I = Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL); II = BHL with pulmonary infiltrates; III = pulmonary infiltrates without BHL; IV = fibrosis. SFN: Small fiber neuropathy. DLCO (%) was significantly lower in patients responding to MTX therapy. *p < 0.05

ISSN: 1465-993X