Detection and Monitoring of Methotrexate-associated Lung Injury Using Serum Markers KL-6 and SP-D in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Masayuki MIYATA, Fumitaka SAKUMA, Etsuko FUKAYA, Hiroko KOBAYASHI, Takeshi RAI, Hironobu SAITO, Reiji KASUKAWA, Shuzo SUZUKI
2002 Internal medicine (Tokyo. 1992)  
The applicability of monitoring concentrations of serum KL-6 and serum surfactant protein-D (SP-D) in the detection of methotrexate-associated lung injury (MTX pneumonitis) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was investigated. The concentrations of these markers, sequentially measured in two patients with RA complicated with MTX pneumonitis, were increased in accordance with the severity of MTX pneumonitis. Conversely, the concentrations of these markers were decreased with the
more » ... t of MTX pneumonitis, suggesting that the monitoring of these markers could be applicable not only for detecting the onset of MTX pneumonitis, but also for detecting the therapeutic response of MTX pneumonitis. (Internal Medicine 41 : 467-473, 2002)
doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.41.467 fatcat:7we6tn367jey3awcl6hlmmpuuq