Table 3.

Efficacy and safety of medical agents used in patients with hepatic sarcoidosis.

Medical drug	Patients treated,∗ n	Patients responding,† n (%)	Combi/monotherapy	ALP pre-treatment (IU/L), mean ± SD	ALP post-treatment (IU/L), mean ± SD	p	ALT pre-treatment (IU/L), mean ± SD	ALT post-treatment (IU/L), mean ± SD	p	Discontinuation of treatment as a result of adverse effects
Corticosteroids	43 patients treated (35 patients with available FU)	16 (45.7)	24 cases with combitherapy (UDCA or biologic agents), 19 with monotherapy	276.2 ± 218.3	108.2 ± 54.5	<0.001	76.2 ± 54.4	38.3 ± 26.2	0.001	0
UDCA	25 patients treated (22 patients with available FU)	12 (54.5)	19 cases with combitherapy, 6 with monotherapy	366.4 ± 440.9	146.7 ± 178.4	0.003	75.6 ± 56.7	38.0 ± 28.3	0.002	0
Azathioprin	11 patients treated (11 with available FU)	5 (45.5)	10 cases with combitherapy, 1 case with monotherapy	252.7 ± 226.5	154.5 ± 97.2	0.45	59.8 ± 41.1	71.3 ± 93.8	0.62	2 cases as a result of drug-induced hepatotoxicity and 3 cases as a result of adverse effects
Methotrexate	9 patients treated (9 with available FU)	3 (33.3)	8 cases with combitherapy, 1 case with monotherapy	275.4 ± 522.0	148.5 ± 119.4	0.53	135.5 ± 176.4	76.6 ± 79.9	0.80	2 cases as a result of drug-induced hepatotoxicity
MMF	1 patient treated (1 with available FU)	1 (100)	1 case with combitherapy	285.0	82.0	0.31	39.0	13.0	0.31	0
Cyclophosphamide	2 patients treated (2 with available FU)	0 (0)	1 case with combitherapy	80.5 ± 23.3	93.0 ± 2.8	1.0	38.0 ± 31.9	30.0 ± 26.8	0.43	n. a.
Infliximab	1 patient treated (1 with available FU)	0 (0)	1 case with combitherapy	427.0	770.0	0.31	80.0	91.0	0.31	n. a.

ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; FU, follow-up; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; UDCA, ursodeoxycholic acid. Level of significance: p < 0.05 (Mann-Whitney U test).

^∗Treatment with 1 or more medical agents per patient was possible.

^†Patients with normalized ALP levels 12–24 months after start of therapy.