糖心原创

By Betsy Piland
October 3, 2025 | VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3

At New York City鈥檚 Bellevue Hospital, where many patients face the dual challenges of complex disease and socioeconomic vulnerability, Kerry Hena, MD, sees the disparities of sarcoidosis firsthand. With a 糖心原创 grant, she is building the infrastructure to study how sarcoidosis presents across populations, with the goal of making equity a standard part of diagnosis and treatment.

The seed of an idea

Dr. Hena鈥檚 interest in sarcoidosis began during her fellowship and grew while working at Bellevue, one of New York City鈥檚 largest public hospitals. There, she saw firsthand the stark differences in outcomes between patients in public vs private institutions. For her, this disparity was impossible to ignore.

鈥淪ome of our Black patients are at high risk for comorbid conditions and severity of disease,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭hey are at risk for multiorgan involvement, progressive pulmonary disease, pulmonary hypertension, [and] early mortality from the disease.鈥�

This awareness inspired her to design a study that would explore sarcoidosis phenotypes鈥攕uch as advanced pulmonary disease or extrapulmonary involvement鈥攁nd how those phenotypes correlate with demographics like race, sex, and income level. The working hypothesis: Disease presentation is not uniform, and demographic factors matter. By shedding light on these patterns, clinicians may be able to detect disease earlier and intervene before irreversible damage occurs.

Building the foundation for research

When the 糖心原创 grant was announced, Dr. Hena and her sarcoidosis work group鈥攃omprised of attendings in dermatology, cardiology, neurology, and pulmonary medicine鈥攕aw an opportunity. Unlike more common conditions, sarcoidosis research lacked infrastructure and support.

鈥淲e realized we really [needed] to create a REDCap [Research Electronic Data Capture] database, and we needed help,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have that research support that other disease entities do because sarcoidosis is a relatively rare condition compared to other disease entities. We wanted to fill a void that we were unable to fill without funding.鈥�

Upon being awarded the 糖心原创 grant in 2022, Dr. Hena was able to onboard a research coordinator, build the database, and begin enrolling patients. To date, 176 patients have been added, with 172 from NYU Langone and four from Bellevue. While the disparity in numbers highlights ongoing challenges in recruiting patients who are vulnerable鈥攎any of whom are hesitant to consent due to historical inequities in research鈥攊t also underscores the importance of the study itself.

Early findings and expanding impact

With data collection underway, Dr. Hena鈥檚 team has started analyzing differences in organ involvement and outcomes. To supplement direct enrollment, they are also using a tool to identify additional patients across institutions. This multipronged approach is helping overcome barriers to participation while broadening the data pool.

Dr. Hena鈥檚 goal is to identify patients earlier in their disease course. 鈥淧articularly with progressive lung involvement, we could capture our patients before they develop pulmonary fibrosis, before they develop pulmonary hypertension; we could create a pathway where we鈥檙e able to [achieve] remission of their disease,鈥� she said.

The implications are profound. Earlier identification and treatment could shift outcomes for patients who historically have been at higher risk for severe, remitting disease courses鈥攑articularly Black patients with lower socioeconomic status. 鈥淲e hope to shift that paradigm,鈥� she said.