AB0666 PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF SERUM KREBS VON DEN LUNGEN-6 GLYCOPROTEIN CIRCULATING LEVELS IN COVID-19 PNEUMONIA: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Background:Currently, there are no biomarkers to predict respiratory worsening in patients with Coronavirus infectious disease, 2019 (COVID- 19) pneumonia.Objectives:We aimed to determine the prognostic value of Krebs von de Lungen-6 circulating serum levels (sKL-6) predicting COVID- 19 evolving trends.Methods:We prospectively analyzed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of 375 COVID- 19 patients with mild lung disease on admission. sKL-6 was obtained in all patients at baseline and compared among patients with respiratory worsening.Results:45.1% of patients developed respiratory worsening during hospitalization. Baseline sKL-6 levels were higher in patients who had respiratory worsening (median [IQR] 303 [209-449] vs. 285.5 [15.8-5724], P=0.068). The best sKL-6 cut-off point was 408 U/mL (area under the curve 0.55; 33% sensitivity, 79% specificity). Independent predictors of respiratory worsening were sKL-6 serum levels, age >51 years, time hospitalized, and dyspnea on admission. Patients with baseline sKL-6 ≥ 408 U/mL had a 39% higher risk of developing respiratory aggravation seven days after admission. In patients with serial determinations, sKL-6 was also higher in those who subsequently worsened (median [IQR] 330 [219-460] vs 290.5 [193-396]; pConclusion:sKL-6 has a low sensibility to predict respiratory worsening in patients with mild COVID-19 pneumonia. Baseline sKL-6 ≥ 408 U/mL is associated to a higher risk of respiratory worsening. sKL-6 levels are not useful as a screening tool to stratify patients on admission but further research is needed to investigate if serial determinations of sKL-6 may be of prognostic use.References:[1]Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, Fan G, Liu Y, Liu Z, et al. Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet. 2020;395(10229):1054-62. 5.[2]Tian W, Jiang W, Yao J, Nicholson CJ, Li RH, Sigurslid HH, et al. Predictors of mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Virol. 2020.[3]Wang D, Li R, Wang J, Jiang Q, Gao C, Yang J, et al. Correlation analysis between disease severity and clinical and biochemical characteristics of 143 cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. BMC Infect Dis. 2020;20(1):519.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.