Abstract:Objective To explore the serum levels of sputum glycosylated antigen-6 (KL-6), laminin (LN), and matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) in children with rheumatism-related interstitial lung disease (JIA-ILD) and their clinical significance. Methods The data of 78 children with simple rheumatism (JIA) admitted to the hospital from May 2017 to May 2019 was retrospectively analyzed, recorded as RA group; and the data of 60 cases of JIAILD in the same period of the hospital was retrospectively analyzed, recorded as JIA-ILD group; the data of 72 healthy children who were examined in the hospital at the same time were retrospectively analyzed, recorded as healthy group. The levels of serum KL-6, LN, and MMP-7 in the RA group, JIA-ILD group, and healthy group were compared; serum KL-6, LN, and MMP-7 levels were compared between the active periods and inactive periods of JIA-ILD; indexs of lung function vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO) were compared between the active periods and inactive periods of JIA-ILD; the correlation between serum KL-6, LN and MMP-7 levels and indexs of lung function VC, FVC, FEV1, and DLCO in children with JIA-ILD was analyzed. Results The levels of serum KL-6, LN, and MMP-7 in JIA-ILD group were higher than those in healthy group (P < 0.05); the levels of serum KL-6, LN and MMP-7 in the JIA-ILD group were higher than those in the JIA group (P < 0.05); the levels of serum KL-6, LN and MMP-7 in children with JIA-ILD during active period were higher than those during the inactive period (P < 0.05). The serum KL-6 (r = 0.749), LN (r = 0.826), and MMP-7 (r = 0.728) levels in children with JIA-ILD were positive correlation correlated with DAS28 scores, respectively (all P = 0.000. The lung functional indicators VC, FVC, FEV1, and DLCO in JIA-ILD during active period were lower than those during the inactive period (P < 0.05). The serum levels of KL-6, LN, and MMP-7 in children with JIA-ILD were negatively correlated with indexs of lung function VC, FVC, FEV1 and DLCO, respectively ( KL-6 : r = -0.846, -0.829, -0.715, and -0.731, all P = 0.000; LN: r = -0.853, -0.796, -0.752, and -0.814, all P = 0.000; MMP-7 : r = -0.827, -0.814, -0.722, and -0.743, all P = 0.000). Conclusion Serum levels of KL-6, LN, and MMP-7 in children with RA and JIA-ILD are increased. They are helpful for early detection of lesions with JIA and JIA-ILD and have a certain promoting effect on JIA-ILD activity. The serum levels of KL-6, LN, and MMP-7 in children with JIA-ILD are related to lung function indicators.