19.
Yet, it is not clear which marker (markers) can conveniently be used to determine the severity of ILD in CTD20. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is a high molecular weight, mucin like glycoprotein grouped as human MUC1 mucin produced by type II alveolar pneumocytes and bronchial epithelial cells, cellular damage and regeneration are the main stimulants21. It is an significant serum marker for interstitial lung disease (ILD); it can expect development of ILD in connective tissue diseased patient 22.Furthermore, Sato, Hoshino, Satoh, Fujita, Kawakami, Kuwana, Fujita 23 reported that KL-6 is positively associated with the severity of ILD, and those patients had a worse prognosis with these biomarkers.
Due to high fatality of ILD in association with CTD, the need for biochemical marker for early detection is emergency, So, our study aimed to evaluate the correlation between serum KL-6 levels with both presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and its severity in connective tissue diseased children, directing to early detection and better management of interstitial lung disease in CTD children.