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Elevation of serum KL-6 levels in 3 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Modern Rheumatology

Abstract

We describe 3 cases of rheumatoid arthritis presenting with elevated serum KL-6 levels during treatment with adalimumab, which was discontinued because of suspected onset of complications. However, no complications were observed following discontinuation despite comprehensive assessments, and KL-6 levels subsequently returned to baseline levels. In our institutes, 3 out of 29 cases treated with adalimumab showed elevated KL-6 levels. The baseline levels were 445, 347, and 547 U/ml, while the peak levels were 1010, 546, and 2007 U/ml, respectively. The elevated KL-6 levels seem to have been innocuous; nevertheless, further careful observation is deemed necessary.

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Abbreviations

RA:

Rheumatoid arthritis

MTX:

Methotrexate

PCP:

Pneumocystis pneumonia

DAS:

Disease activity score

SpO2 :

Percutaneous oxygen saturation

SP-D:

Surfactant protein D

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shuwa General Hospital, 1200, Yawarasinden, Kasukabe, Saitama, 344-0035, Japan

    Masahito Koiwa & Susumu Goto

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Nippon Medical School Hospital, 1-1-5, Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8603, Japan

    Kenji Takenouchi, Kenji Takahasi & Hiroshi Nakamura

  3. Hara Orthopaedic Hospital, 3-36-23, Nishiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-0021, Japan

    Toshikazu Kamada

Authors
  1. Masahito Koiwa
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  2. Susumu Goto
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  3. Kenji Takenouchi
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  4. Kenji Takahasi
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  5. Toshikazu Kamada
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  6. Hiroshi Nakamura
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Correspondence to Masahito Koiwa.

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Koiwa, M., Goto, S., Takenouchi, K. et al. Elevation of serum KL-6 levels in 3 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab. Mod Rheumatol 22, 147–151 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10165-011-0483-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10165-011-0483-y

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