Approved Research

The Genetics of cardiac sarcoidosis

Lay summary

Sarcoidosis is a disease that can cause inflammation in different parts of the body. When the heart is affected, it can be very dangerous and lead to heart failure or sudden death. About one-fourth of people with sarcoidosis have heart problems, but doctors don't know why some have it worse than others. Recent research suggests that genes play a role in this disease. Some abnormal genes in the heart may make it more likely for people with sarcoidosis to have heart problems and not respond well to treatment. To learn more about this connection, we want to study a large group of patients with sarcoidosis in the UK. We will look at specific genes and how they might be linked to heart problems in sarcoidosis patients. We will also study how genetic information can be used to predict which patients are at risk of heart problems and possibly to guide future treatment. Finally, we will explore new ways of using advanced technology, like machine learning, to help doctors find and diagnose heart inflammation in sarcoidosis patients. To do this study, we will use a combination of genetic testing and medical imaging. We hope that the work will help doctors better understand sarcoidosis and develop new treatments that can improve outcomes for patients