What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the effectiveness of KL-6 in combination with clinical data for diagnosing pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19 patients.

March 30, 2026

Combined use of serum KL-6 and respiratory functional parameters for identifying fibrotic lung damage in SARS-CoV-2-induced interstitial pneumonia.

Key Points

To evaluate the effectiveness of KL-6 in combination with clinical data for diagnosing pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19 patients.
Analyzed KL-6 levels in patients with interstitial pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2.
Examined respiratory functional parameters alongside KL-6 measurements.
Compared the diagnostic accuracy of KL-6 combined with clinical data against standard methods.
KL-6 levels were not significantly elevated in patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV).
Combining KL-6 values with clinical parameters improved diagnostic accuracy for identifying pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19.
KL-6 proved reliable as a biomarker for pulmonary fibrosis associated with COVID-19.

Abstract

KL-6 levels are not significantly elevated in patients undergoing IMV, indicating that IMV per se does not alter the values of this biomarker, thereby further supporting its reliability in detecting PCPF. Our study proposed a combination of KL-6 values and clinical data may lead to a further improvement in diagnostic accuracy for pulmonary fibrosis, idiopathic and secondary to COVID19.

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Combined use of serum KL-6 and respiratory functional parameters for identifying fibrotic lung damage in SARS-CoV-2-induced interstitial pneumonia.

Key Points

Abstract

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