Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41407285›Full record

ArticleTuberculosis and respiratory diseases2026

Serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 Level as a Reflecting Biomarker in Patients with Interstitial Lung Abnormalities.

Hyung Koo Kang, Sung Jun Chung, Jiyeon Kang, Hyeon-Kyoung Koo, Sung-Soon Lee, Jae-Woo Jung, Jae-Chol Choi, Jae Yeol Kim, Jong Wook Shin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tuberculosis and respiratory diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Hyung Koo KangDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Sung Jun ChungDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Jiyeon KangDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Hyeon-Kyoung KooDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Soon LeeDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Woo JungDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Chol ChoiDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae Yeol KimDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jong Wook ShinDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Funding

Inje University 20220021
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResearch on the relationship between the progression of interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) and serum biomarkers, including white blood cell differential counts and Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), is limited. This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics of patients with ILA and evaluate the association between disease progression and serum biomarkers.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 159 patients (63 with ILA and 74 with interstitial lung diseases) between October 2021 and September 2022. Data collected included clinical characteristics, pulmonary function tests, chest computed tomography (CT), complete blood cell counts, and KL-6 levels. In 52 of these patients who had previously undergone chest CT, the utility of serum biomarkers in reflecting radiologic progression was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

resultsPatients with ILA exhibited clinical characteristics similar to those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Serum KL-6 levels did not correlate with forced vital capacity or diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide in patients with ILA. Among the 52 patients with ILA, 13 demonstrated radiologic progression. Serum KL-6 displayed moderate predictive performance, with area under the curves ranging from 0.57 to 0.89 (p=0.014) for radiologic progression. Levels of KL-6 greater than 400 U/mL were more frequently observed in patients with radiologic progression (61.5% vs. 20.5%, p=0.006). In multivariate analysis, age and KL-6 were independently associated with radiologic progression in patients with ILA.

conclusionSerum KL-6 levels may serve as a potential indicator of ILA progression in asymptomatic patients. Those with KL-6 levels exceeding 400 U/mL should be closely monitored for radiologic progression.

Indexed as

Interstitial Lung AbnormalitiesInterstitial Lung DiseaseKL-6Progression

Identifiers

PMID41407285
PMCPMC13065408

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.