Tracking KL-6 Protein Levels May Help Predict Acute Exacerbations In Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Study Finds

Pulmonary Fibrosis News (8/13, Levinson) reports a study found that “consistently tracking the levels of Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), a protein that can indicate lung inflammation or damage, may help predict acute exacerbations in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other types of fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs).” Researchers observed that “KL-6 levels tended to rise before an acute exacerbation of symptoms. Additionally, researchers found the risk of acute exacerbation, or sudden symptom worsening, was significantly increased in patients with persistently high KL-6 levels.” Considering these results, they believe that “physicians should consider longitudinal KL-6 measurements, as a component of a multifaceted approach to risk assessment,” adding that these “results should be validated in other settings.” The study was published in Scientific Reports.