Elevated serum KL-6 levels in patients with systemic sclerosis: association with the severity of pulmonary fibrosis

Dermatology. 2000;200(3):196-201. doi: 10.1159/000018382.

Abstract

Background: Serum KL-6 has been suggested to be a useful marker for the evaluation of interstitial lung disease activity.

Objective: To determine the correlation between serum KL-6 levels and pulmonary fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Serum samples from patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc; n = 19), diffuse cutaneous SSc (dSSc; n = 26) and normal individuals (n = 15) were examined by ELISA.

Results: Serum KL-6 levels in SSc patients were significantly higher than those in normal controls. KL-6 levels in dSSc patients were significantly elevated compared with those in lSSc patients. Elevated KL-6 levels were associated with the presence of pulmonary fibrosis in SSc patients or dSSc patients. Furthermore, KL-6 levels inversely correlated with percentages of diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide and vital capacity in SSc patients or dSSc patients.

Conclusion: KL-6 may be a simple, serologic indicator for the severity of pulmonary fibrosis in SSc.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / analysis
  • Antigens
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Glycoproteins
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mucin-1
  • Mucins
  • Peptide Fragments / blood*
  • Procollagen / blood*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / blood
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / blood*
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / pathology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Antigens
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Glycoproteins
  • MUC1 protein, human
  • Mucin-1
  • Mucins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Procollagen
  • procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide