Table 3– Summary of clinical characteristics of the sarcoidosis patients studied stratified by upper- and lower-extremity muscle strength
Group 1:
normal muscle strength
Group 2:
reduced HGF and/or EFMS
Group 3:
reduced QPT and/or HPT
Group 4:
reduced muscle strength of arms and/or legs
p-value#
Demographics
 Subjects79243745
 Prednisone use yes/no29/5011/1316/2119/260.544
 Prednisone dosage mg14.2±7.812.0±5.612.5±6.911.7±6.70.267
 Methotrexate use yes/no25/547/1712/2514/310.951
 Methotrexate dosage mg11.6±2.210.0±5.09.0±4.19.3±4.10.065
Lung function tests
DL,CO % pred79.6±17.268.8±16.666.9±15.968.7±16.30.001
 FVC % pred101.5±21.689.0±17.491.7±18.892.7±18.30.023
 FEV1 % pred87.4±21.778.0±23.676.2±23.678.6±23.20.037
Inspiratory muscle strength
PI,max % pred88.3±25.767.4±32.078.6±30.772.1±30.70.004
Exercise capacity
 6MWD % pred86.7±12.563.3±16.368.3±14.267.1±14.6<0.001
Chest radiograph stage2.1±1.41.9±1.72.1±1.72.0±1.70.864
Inflammatory markers
 CRP+7.2±14.18.6±12.711.1±17.411.0±17.30.193
 sIL-2R§3452±24722897±20283159±21212958±20280.281
Body composition
 BMI kg·m−228.2±4.428.3±4.927.7±5.228.0±5.20.783
 FFM kg57.1±10.354.1±10.750.5±9.852.2±10.00.016
 FFM index kg·m−218.2±2.417.9±2.717.0±2.917.4±2.80.095
Fatigue
 FAS score27.1±7.432.0±8.230.3±8.330.4±7.80.023
WHOQOL-BREF
 Facet overall QoL6.2±1.45.2±1.65.2±1.85.4±1.70.004
 Physical health domain13.1±2.710.7±2.411.0±2.811.0±2.7<0.001
  • Data are expressed as n or mean±sd, unless otherwise stated. HGF: handgrip force; EFMS: elbow flexor muscle strength; QPT: quadriceps peak torque; HPT: hamstrings peak torque; DL,CO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; % pred: % predicted; FVC: forced vital capacity; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; PI,max: maximal inspiratory pressure; 6MWD: 6-min walking distance; CRP: C-reactive protein; sIL-2R: soluble interleukin-2 receptor; BMI: body mass index; FFM: fat-free mass; FAS: Fatigue Assessment Scale; WHOQOL-BREF: World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument-BREF; QoL: quality of life. #: group 1 compared to group 4; : % of mean results of the control group; +: normal range <10 mg·L−1; §: normal range 240–3,154 pg·mL−1.