Aim: To examine the functional status of the immune system in patients with lung and intrathoracic lymph nodes sarcoidosis and to evaluate the efficiency of immunomodulation alone and in its inclusion in combined treatment of the disease.
Materials and methods: 58 patients with the disease of varying severity were followed up. Comprehensive examination, involving clinical, immunological, X-ray, and physical studies, in patients treated with combined immunotherapy was performed. Initial examination revealed mixed immunodefficiency with impaired T- and phagocytic activity. According to the degree of immunological changes, the patients were given immunotherapy, including polyoxidonium, T-activin (or immunophan) injections, a complex of multivitamins and trace elements, and total adaptogens. After partial or complete normalization of an immunogram, all the patients received licopid (two-three 10-day courses, 10 mg/day).
Results: The optimal result (as long as 3-year remission) was achieved in the first time diagnosed sarcoidosis who have not taken glucocorticoidal hormones.
Conclusion: The follow-up shows that addition of licopid is a compulsory component of immunotherapy in this disease; the efficiency of treatment is determined by its multimodality. The courses of therapy should be repeated when immunological indices deteriorated.