SynthesisThorax2025
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of biologic and targeted synthetic therapies in sarcoidosis.
Synthesis in Thorax, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- Sarcoidosis: A Clinical Trials Perspective.Pulmonary therapy · 2026Review
- Marked Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)-Independent Hypercalcemia Revealing Sarcoidosis Mimicking Malignancy: A Case Report.Cureus · 2026Article
- Quality of Life in Sarcoidosis.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Advances in management of sarcoidosis-associated fatigue: A narrative review.Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG · 2026Article
- New Therapies for Sarcoidosis: Molecular and Pathophysiological Basis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Drug-Induced Pulmonary Toxicity in the Era of Immunotherapy and Biologics: A Narrative Review of Mechanism, Diagnosis, and Management.Pulmonary therapy · 2026Review
- Contemporary management of sarcoidosis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Lung Function Parameters during Anti-TNFα Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.The open respiratory medicine journal · 2026Article
- Neurosarcoidosis in Critical Care, Internal, and Pulmonary Medicine: A Practical Approach.Seminars in respiratory and critical care medicine · 2025Review
- PDE-4 Inhibition in Sarcoidosis Patients: A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis of 51 Patients.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Sarcoidosis in the Genomic Era: From Genetic Drivers to Tailored Therapies.Current allergy and asthma reports · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesInfliximab, an anti-TNF agent, is used to treat sarcoidosis that does not respond to corticosteroids or second-line agents. The efficacy of other anti-TNF agents, non-TNF biologics and targeted synthetic therapies remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the role of these therapies in the management of multisystem sarcoidosis.
methodsWe conducted a systematic literature search to identify trials of biological and targeted synthetic therapies in sarcoidosis. Meta-analyses examined %-predicted forced vital capacity (FVC), as mean change from baseline. Heterogeneity was measured using the I
resultsThe search identified 6777 records. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. These included 8 randomised control trials (RCTs) and 8 single-arm trials. Fourteen studies evaluated biologic therapies: infliximab (n=5), adalimumab (n=2), etanercept (n=2), golimumab (n=1), rituximab (n=1), anakinra (n=1), sarilumab (n=1), ustekinumab (n=1) and efzofitimod (n=1). Two trials assessed the targeted synthetic therapy tofacitinib. Risk of bias was high in five of eight RCTs. Meta-analysis of %-predicted FVC showed modest improvement with treatment (mean change: 4.79% (95% CI 1.22 to 8.35), driven by anti-TNF trials 5.70% (95% CI 1.61 to 9.78). Heterogeneity was substantial (I²=76.3%). In data synthesis using vote counting, infliximab, adalimumab, efzofitimod and tofacitinib demonstrated a positive direction of effect across all estimates, though improvements in several outcomes did not reach thresholds for minimal clinically important differences.
conclusionsMeta-analysis supports infliximab use in pulmonary sarcoidosis, although improvements in lung function are modest. There is limited but promising evidence for the use of adalimumab and tofacitinib in cutaneous disease and efzofitimob in pulmonary disease. Study interpretation is limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneity in study design and population.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42024599560.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.