System Maintenance Notice

Please note that maintenance work is scheduled between 4 AM and 5 AM - CET. During this time, you may experience reduced performance. Thanks for your patience.

Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 40547914 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1579209

Serum concentrations of Krebs von den Lungen-6 as prognostic biomarker in patients with silicosis.

Front Med (Lausanne) 12:1579209

Authors: Raluca-Andreea Smărăndescu, Marina-Ruxandra Oțelea, Eugenia Panaitescu, Andrä Jitka, Francesco Bonella, Agripina Rașcu

Affiliations

  • Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Clinical Department 5, Internal Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
  • Department of Occupational Medicine, Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
  • Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department 3 - Complementary Sciences, Bucharest, Romania.
  • Center for Interstitial and Rare Lung Disease, Department of Pneumology, Ruhrlandklinik University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.

Abstract

Introduction

KL-6, a pneumocyte derived biomarker, is increased in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). We aimed to investigate the role of serum KL-6 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in silica-exposed workers.

Material and method

We studied 108 silica-exposed subjects and 25 healthy controls. Chest radiography (CXR), pulmonary function tests, inflammatory markers were collected. Progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) was defined according to the ILO classification. KL-6 was measured in serum by fully automated CLEIA at first presentation at our institution, intended as baseline visit, with a time point from the initial exposure variable for each patient.

Results

PMF was present in 23 subjects. Serum KL-6 levels were significantly higher in subjects with PMF than in controls, exposed workers or simple silicosis (p<0.001). In PMF, serum KL-6 positively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and negatively with forced vital capacity (FVC) % predicted. At a cut-off of 436 U/mL, serum KL-6 differentiated exposed workers from PMF with a specificity and sensitivity exceeding 90% (p<0.0001), while a cut-off of 445 U/mL differentiated simple silicosis from PMF (p<0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, serum KL-6 levels were independently associated with risk of fibrosis.

Conclusion

Serum KL-6 appears to be a promising biomarker for the occurrence and progression of PMF in silica-exposed workers.

MeSH

Silicosis, Serum, Fibrosis, Disease Progression, Biomarkers, Vital Capacity