Nihon Kyōbu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi
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Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi · Jul 1996
Case Reports[Hypersensitivity pneumonitis monitored with serum KL-6, a marker of interstitial pneumonia].
A 44-year-old man was hospitalized because of exertional dyspnea that had progressed for one month. A chest X-ray film showed bilateral small nodular and reticular shadows. The patient presented with a positive inflammatory reaction and hypoxemia. ⋯ The lactate dehydrogenose level peaked 8 days after provocation and decreased rapidly after steroid treatment. These results suggest that the serum KL-6 level provides new information regarding the clinical course and treatment of interstitial pneumonia. In addition KL-6 may be useful form monitoring disease activity, especially while tapering the dose of steroids in patients with interstitial pneumonia.