Background: The aim of this study was to assess the importance of KL-6 level in evaluating the status of stabilized chronic pneumonia in children in the severe motor and intellectual disabilities-medical care-dependent (SMID-MCD) category.
Methods: A total of 20 SMID-MCD children were enrolled in this study. Serum KL-6, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, chest computed tomography (CT) and other factors related to respiratory complications were analyzed in all children under stable respiratory conditions.
Results: Mean age was 5.8 ± 1.0 years (mean ± SE). Serum KL-6 was significantly higher in those SMID-MCD children with abnormal CT than in those with normal CT: 316 ± 39 U/mL versus 190 ± 11, respectively (P = 0.0075).
Conclusions: Measures of serum KL-6 level provide valuable information for determining the respiratory management of SMID-MCD children with occult chronic pneumonia.
Keywords: KL-6; computed tomography; respiratory infection; respiratory problem; severe motor and intellectual disabilities.
© 2014 Japan Pediatric Society.