Clinical application of measurement of angiotensin-converting enzyme level
T. Shultz, W. C. Miller and C. W. Bedrossian
Assay of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in the sera of 69 patients
demonstrated elevated levels in 19 of 22 (86%) of those with clinically
active, biopsy-proved sarcoidosis. Patients with dormant sarcoidosis and
generally those with various other disorders had normal levels. Elevated
levels were also seen in six cases possibly representing sarcoid variants
and in one case each of leprosy, carcinoma, tuberculosis, lymphomatoid
granulomatosis, and immunoblastic sarcoma. Although ACE is sensitive to
active sarcoidosis, the presence of false-positive findings limits its
diagnostic usefulness to an adjunctive role; the assay should be combined
with medical evaluation and tissue biopsy in selected cases.
