Correspondence THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF INTERLEUKIN-6 IN ACUTE SARCOIDOSIS WITH ARTHROPATHY, LOFGREN'S SYNDROME

Sir, Interleukin-6, a recently defined cytokine with various biological activities including induction of acute phase reaction, is believed to contribute development of generalized autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis'. In 10-15% of patients with sarcoidosis, the disease begins acutely with an attack of bilateral hilar adenopathy, erythema nodosum and a bout of acute arthritis, a triad named Lofgren's syndrome'. We have noticed a possible role of interleukin-6 in such an acute form of sarcoidosis with arthropathy. A 23-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of fever, erythema nodosum and poly