Increased KL-6 levels in moderate to severe COVID-19 infection.

[en] ("[en] BACKGROUND: The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has presented significant challenges and created concerns worldwide. Besides, patients who have experienced a SARS-CoV-2 infection could present post-viral complications that can ultimately lead to pulmonary fibrosis. Serum levels of Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6), high molecular weight human MUC1 mucin, are increased in the most patients with various interstitial lung damage. Since its production is raised during epithelial damages, KL-6 could be a helpful non-invasive marker to monitor COVID-19 infection and predict post-infection sequelae. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated KL-6 levels of 222 COVID-19 infected patients and 70 healthy control. Serum KL-6, fibrinogen, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), platelet-lymphocytes ratio (PLR) levels and other biological parameters were analyzed. This retrospective study also characterized the relationships between serum KL-6 levels and pulmonary function variables. RESULTS: Our results showed that serum KL-6 levels in COVID-19 patients were increased compared to healthy subjects (470 U/ml vs 254 U/ml, P <0.00001). ROC curve analysis enabled us to identify that KL-6 > 453.5 U/ml was associated with COVID-19 (AUC = 0.8415, P < 0.0001). KL-6 level was positively correlated with other indicators of disease severity such as fibrinogen level (r = 0.1475, P = 0.0287), LDH level (r = 0,31, P = 0,004) and PLR level (r = 0.23, P = 0.0005). However, KL-6 levels were not correlated with pulmonary function tests (r = 0.04, P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: KL-6 expression was correlated with several disease severity indicators. However, the association between mortality and long-term follow-up outcomes needs further investigation. More extensive trials are required to prove that KL-6 could be a marker of disease severity in COVID-19 infection.","[en] ","")

Disciplines :

Cardiovascular & respiratory systems

Author, co-author :

Cambier, Maureen ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de pneumologie - allergologie

Henket, Monique ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de pneumologie - allergologie

Frix, Anne-Noëlle ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de pneumologie - allergologie

Gofflot, Stéphanie ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Biothèque Hospitalo-Universitaire de Liège (BHUL)

THYS, Marie ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des informations médico économiques (SIME)

Tomasetti, Sara; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy

Peired, Anna ; Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Struman, Ingrid ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Cancer - Molecular Angiogenesis Laboratory

Rousseau, Anne-Françoise ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des soins intensifs

Misset, Benoît ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des soins intensifs

More authors (6 more)

Language :

English

Title :

Increased KL-6 levels in moderate to severe COVID-19 infection.

Publication date :

2022

Journal title :

PLoS ONE

eISSN :

1932-6203

Publisher :

Public Library of Science (PLoS), United States

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

e0273107

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273107

Funders :

Leon Fredericq Foundation [BE]

Funding text :

European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and EFPIA; Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking

Available on ORBi :

since 05 December 2022

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