Miriana d'Alessandro, Laura Bergantini, Paolo Cameli, Giuseppe Curatola, Lorenzo Remediani, David Bennett, Francesco Bianchi, Felice Perillo, Luca Volterrani, Maria Antonietta Mazzei, Elena Bargagli
SARS-CoV2-induced direct cytopathic effects against type II pneumocytes are suspected to play a role in mediating and perpetuating lung damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum KL-6 behavior in COVID-19 patients to investigate its potential role in predicting clinical course. Sixty patients (median age IQR, 65 (52-69), 43 males), hospitalized for COVID-19 at Siena COVID Unit University Hospital, were prospectively enrolled. Twenty-six patients were selected (median age IQR, 63 (55-71), 16 males); all of them underwent follow-up evaluations, including clinical, radiological, functional, and serum KL-6 assessments, after 6 (t1) and 9 (t2) months from hospital discharge...
January 16, 2021: Internal and Emergency Medicine