Identifying the link between serum VEGF and KL-6 concentrations: a correlation analysis for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis interstitial lung disease progression

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Dec 1:10:1282757. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1282757. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis interstitial lung disease (IPF-ILD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by excessive collagen deposition and fibrotic changes in the lungs. Identifying reliable serum markers that correlate with disease progression is crucial for diagnosis and prognosis.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between serum markers KL-6 and VEGF and IPF-ILD. Specifically, it assessed their correlation with PaO2, a measure of pulmonary gas function, to provide diagnostic and prognostic indicators.

Methods: Patients with IPF-ILD were included, and their serum levels of KL-6 and VEGF were measured. Correlations with fibrotic damage and PaO2 were analyzed using statistical methods.

Results: The analysis confirmed a positive correlation between the serum marker KL-6 and the degree of fibrotic damage in IPF-ILD. On the other hand, the serum marker VEGF was found to promote disease progression. In terms of correlation with PaO2, both KL-6 and VEGF demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity. Specifically, the correlation between KL-6 and PaO2 suggests that it can be used as a reliable indicator to assess the status of pulmonary oxygenation function in patients with ILD. The correlation between VEGF and PaO2 helps to understand its role in the progression of IPF-ILD and provides an important basis for predicting patient prognosis.

Conclusion: This study confirmed the correlation between KL-6 and VEGF with IPF-ILD and their association with PaO2. KL-6 and VEGF demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing, monitoring, and predicting prognosis in IPF-ILD. These findings contribute to our understanding of the disease and have clinical implications for diagnosis and prognostication.

Keywords: IPF-ILD; KL-6; PaO2; VEGF; serum markers.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Ganzhou Science and Technology Program (Grant No. 20222ZDX7999).